US Man Arrested in Spain over Sierra Leone Conflict Diamond Charges

(IDEX Online News) – An American man has been arrested in Spain over charges of forcing civilians to mine diamonds in Sierra Leone between 1999 and 2001. Michel Desaedeleer, who has US and Belgian citizenship, is suspected of forcing enslaved civilians to mine for diamonds in the Kono district, according to Swiss-based legal aid organization Civitas Maxima, reports The Guardian.

“[The case] will help to raise awareness of the pivotal role played by financial actors in the trade of mineral resources that fuel armed conflicts in Africa and elsewhere,” said Alain Werner, director of Civitas Maxima, which works to document the crimes and assist victims of the 11-year war in Sierra Leone.

Civitas Maxima said this was the first time a businessman had been arrested for exploiting the diamonds.

Following a Belgian investigation earlier this year, a European arrest warrant was issued against Desaedeleer.