Naomi Campbell in war crimes court over Taylor diamonds

Supermodel Naomi Campbell has told the war crimes tribunal of ex-Liberia President Charles Taylor that she was given a few "dirty-looking" stones. Ms Campbell is being asked about allegations that Mr Taylor gave her "blood diamonds" as a gift in 1997.

Prosecutors in The Hague say her evidence could help link Mr Taylor to the stones, which they say he used to fund the civil war in Sierra Leone. He denies the charges and says he never sold or traded diamonds for weapons, according to BBC News.

Ms Campbell arrived at the courthouse in The Hague on Thursday surrounded by police escorts. She did not speak to reporters outside.

Allegations that the rough, uncut gemstones were given to Ms Campbell emerged in a statement by US actress Mia Farrow.
So-called blood diamonds are stones mined in areas controlled by rebel armies, and used to fund their violence.

Ms Farrow claimed that Ms Campbell had told her she had been given the stones after a celebrity dinner in South Africa, hosted by former South African President Nelson Mandela.

Ms Campbell is said to have donated her gift to Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, although the fund told a UK newspaper it had not received any stones from the model.

There is some confusion over how many stones were given to Ms Campbell. Ms Farrow says Ms Campbell told her she received one stone, while another alleged witness, Ms Campbell's former agent Carole White, said she was given six.

Ms Campbell is a reluctant witness and has been subpoenaed to appear by prosecutors or risk contempt of court charges.

In April, she told ABC news in the US that she "never received a diamond" from Mr Taylor and did not want want to talk about it.
Later, she told US talk show host Oprah Winfrey that she did not want to be involved in Mr Taylor's case and feared for her safety if she were.

Her management company later released a statement confirming she would attend "to help clarify events in 1997."
Ms Campbell has obtained a court order banning the media from showing images of her within the confines of the court building.