West Africa diamond racket exposed

Diamond sales have financed Sierra Leone's rebel army

The US and the UK have taken new steps to halt diamond exports from rebel-held regions of Sierra Leone by presenting the UN with evidence that Liberia and Burkina Faso are involved in the trade.

The new information may increase the likelihood of international sanctions against the two countries, which denied any involvement in diamond smuggling at UN hearings last week.

The BBC has learned that the new evidence presented to the UN Sanctions Committee includes specifics of alleged meetings between RUF rebels in Sierra Leone and the Liberian and Burkinabe presidents.

The committee is due to meet again early this week, when it will consider a plan by the Sierra Leonean Government to certify legal diamond exports.

Detailed picture

There is already a mass of evidence that suggests Liberia and Burkina Faso have been involved in smuggling diamonds produced by the RUF, and supplying arms in return.

Charles Taylor denies smuggling Sierra Leonean diamonds

As Sierra Leone's official diamond exports have shrunk in recent years, Liberia's have rocketed.

But the new evidence presented to the UN Sanctions Committee provides unprecedented detail.

Some of it reinforces a picture of Liberian involvement in Sierra Leone's conflict painted by documents leaked to BBC correspondent Mark Doyle and published by BBC News Online last month.

Meetings

The evidence includes:

• Details of a meeting between RUF rebels, Liberian President Charles Taylor, and the President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaore, in Burkina Faso on 5 June. RUF rebels allegedly brought diamonds to pay for "material support" from Burkina Faso
• Details of a meeting between RUF representatives and President Taylor in the the Liberian capital Monrovia a few days later at which the RUF allegedly bought more equipment
• Allegations that President Taylor has been orchestrating the rebels and that Liberia has supplied food, medical supplies, and military equipment to them
• Allegations that Burkina Faso has supplied manpower and equipment, including weapons from Eastern Europe with false end-user certificates
• Allegations that President Compaore has designated a senior military figure as liaison with Liberia and the RUF

Western sources claim that 40% of the trade in illicit diamonds from Sierra Leone passes through Burkina Faso, and 60% through Liberia.

Some also allegedly pass through Ivory Coast and Guinea.

Sanctions that could be imposed against Liberia and Burkina Faso include a freeze on foreign assets, and visa restrictions.