Fugitive Liberian warlord Charles Taylor has "agreed" to stand trial at the international tribunal in the Hague, but not in Sierra Leone where he faces an indictment for alleged crimes against humanity, his spiritual counsellor said.
Hindu-born, Houston-based evangelist Kilari Anand Paul said he was looking for political asylum for the former Liberian leader, who has disappeared from the Nigerian villa in which he was living in exile.
"Charles Taylor has agreed to go to The Hague to face charges. He has also agreed to go to Liberia, but he has totally refused to go to Sierra Leone and face charges there," Paul, 42, told AFP during a visit to Addis Ababa.
"Our first priority is to find political asylum for him to stabilize the situation. I made a big mistake to take him to Nigeria," he added.
Paul said a country, which he refused to name, had agreed to give Taylor political asylum, but four others are yet to state their position.
"I am waiting for the green light from Syria, Libya, Venezuela and Ethiopia to give asylum. A fifth country has completely agreed to give him asylum," said the evangelist, who was in Liberia in 2003 to help persuade Taylor to step down.
"My first choice is to bring him to Ethiopia becasue it is the second most populous country in (Africa) and it is very stable ... Ethiopia has given positive signs about welcoming Charles Taylor," said Paul, who claimed that he met Ethiopian President Girma Wolde-Giorgis on Sunday.