Giving evidence yesterday at the Special Court, the last and final witness of the defence team a Retired General in the Swedish Army Johan Herderstedt has revealed to the court his understanding of the command structure of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) during the war.
In his evidence General Herderstedt who testified as an expert witness told the court that during his visit to the country, and in some of his reports he concluded that the RUF was a guerrilla movement which uses typical guerilla tactics and warfare during the fight.
The witness said that the RUF used military structure to set up their organization and that the RUF also used hit and run tactics which was very common with guerilla movements.
The composition at that time the Swedish General said was a mixture of police and military which was used during the initial stage of the movement.
General Herderstedt also in his evidence said that when he came to Sierra Leone, he traveled extensively with Mr Francis Musa and Lawrence Womandia and they went to Freetown, Kono, Makeni, Tongo, Kailahun and other parts of the county and a lot of information was shared with him by these two men.
With the information he had he started working with it inorder to compile his report and then relate his experience.
In his profile it was revealed that General Herderstedt, had been working with experts from other nations and mostly Generals or Colonels from France, South Korea, Japan and Finland, who were involved in the Gulf war and that he has been training soldiers in guerrilla fighting.
The retired Swedish General has also been an expert working under the US government and he does have a special task which is advising on the issue concerning the Gulf war.
In 2004 the General gave his opinion for peace and not for war in the Gulf.
By Betty Milton
ADVERTISEMENT