Hostages Liberia

A Liberian rebel leader seized 14 or 15 foreign hostages Monday, including an American, making good on his threat to use foreign nationals as bait to provoke international intervention in Liberia's seven-month civil war. Prince Johnson, who commands troops that split off in February from a larger rebel force commanded by former government minister Charles Taylor, had threatened Saturday to begin seizing Americans, Britons, Lebanese and Indians. He pledged not to harm them.

Prince Johnson, one of two rebel leaders besieging the capital of Liberia, threatened Tuesday to attack a detachment of U.S. Marines unless the United States or another foreign country intervenes to halt the Liberian civil war. At the same time, a group of West African countries announced that they will send a joint military force into Liberia in an effort to end the conflict and set up an interim government. There was no indication of when the multilateral force will be organized.

Prince Johnson, one of two rebel leaders besieging the capital of Liberia, threatened Tuesday to attack a detachment of U.S. Marines unless the United States or another foreign country intervenes to halt the Liberian civil war. At the same time, a group of West African countries announced that they will send a joint military force into Liberia in an effort to end the conflict and set up an interim government. There was no indication of when the multilateral force will be organized.

A Liberian rebel leader seized 14 or 15 foreign hostages Monday, including an American, making good on his threat to use foreign nationals as bait to provoke international intervention in Liberia's seven-month civil war. Prince Johnson, who commands troops that split off in February from a larger rebel force commanded by former government minister Charles Taylor, had threatened Saturday to begin seizing Americans, Britons, Lebanese and Indians. He pledged not to harm them.