Rebel leader with alleged history of war crimes came to South Jersey illegally, feds say
PHILADELPHIA – A South Jersey man from Liberia is accused of hiding his past as a rebel leader in order to gain entrance to the United States.
Laye Sekou Camara 43, allegedly served as a general and used child soldiers for a group that fought in a civil war that began in Liberia in 1999, federal authorities say.
The Mays Landing man concealed his role in the conflict when applying for visas to the United States in 2011 and 2012, according to the U.S. Attorney General's Office.
It alleges Camara was a general for a faction known as Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, or LURD. The group's members were responsible for brutality, war crimes and atrocities, the statement says.
A criminal complaint says a 2003 report on human rights practices in Liberia claimed Camara "was in hiding after he allegedly killed a fellow LURD general …"
An ambassador and a defense attaché once stationed at the U.S embassy in Liberia recalled having direct contact with Camara, known to them as General Dragon Master, the complaint adds.
It also says Camara "was prominently pictured with other LURD rebels in the New York Times in 2003" and that he appeared in two documentaries about the Liberian conflict.
The U.S. Attorney's Office contends Camara, in his first visa application, falsely said he had never served in a rebel group and had not participated in political killings, according to the statement.
In the second application, Camara falsely contended he had never recruited or used child soldiers, the complaint alleges.
Both visas were approved, and Camara received a Green Card, signaling his authorized permanent residence in the United States.
He used the Green Card to obtain a Pennsylvania state ID card in 2017, leading to the current charge of using an immigration document obtained by fraud.
The charge is only an allegation. Camara has not been convicted in the case.
Jim Walsh covers public safety, economic development and other beats for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal.
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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Laye Sekou Camara accused of hiding his role in civil war in Liberia
