The former president of Liberia, Charles Taylor, goes on trial in the Hague later today.

He faces 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for atrocities committed by rebels in neighbouring Sierra Leone.

Charles Taylor is the first African head of state to go on trial before an international court.

He is being tried by the special court for Sierra Leone in the International Criminal Court (ICC) building.

The trial was moved from Freetown for security reasons.

Charles Taylor denies helping to arm and train Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front rebels in exchange for diamonds during the civil conflict in the 1990s.