Liberia: Condemnation of Fake Video against National Security Not Enough

Speaking about threat to our country’s National Security, this video portrays the same.
Mere condemnation about the commentator’s allegations against the government and people of Liberia involvement with terrorist organizations is insufficient.

---

By Atty. Kebeh S. Freeman-Saryon, National Security Lawyer

---

A video has been circulating the internet in which the commentator linked the government to international terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda and Boko Haram.

In the video the commentator alleged that, ” the international community has uncover a plot by President Weah to rig the elections…” This statement has the propensity to cause distrust in our nation’s elections affairs that could eventually lead to a national security crisis. The International Community needs to be swift in responding to these allegations. This is not just a threat to Liberia, it’s a security threat to the entire subregion.

Notably, the commentator also accused Grand Gedeans of training the malicious groups to cause instability in Liberia under President George Weah’s command. The video claims that Former President Doe’s house in Grand Gedeh County is being used for ‘Secret Meetings and as storage facilities for weapons.’ This, the Doe family needs to make clarity about ,because that property should be a private property in the Doe’s family. If it’s used for terrorist purposes, the family needs to react.

My take away:

The video could cause a regional stir. Grand Gedeh shares a common border with Ivory Coast and there have been incidences of malicious attacks around the border over the years. And, Ivory Coast has a history with terrorist attack from Al Qaeda, which make its even more susceptible to chaos or misunderstanding.

International, Liberia has been one of the ally forces fighting against international terrorism in Africa, especially in west Africa. Liberia has been working alongside international partners in this fight.
Therefore, to make such a video with content that distort the facts about Liberia’s role in the fight against terrorism, puts the country on a high alert level with countries that are unaware of the facts, and this could be used against Liberian citizens when traveling abroad.

Hence, condemnation of the video is insufficient appertaining the accusations by the commentator. Liberia needs to launch a full-scale investigation and bring the perpetrator/s to book for what seem like a reckless comment made in total disregard for the countries’ history and present activities as it relates to the fight on terrorism and its National Security.