Nigeria, Feb. 25 -- The war crimes trial of Alieu Kosiah was thrown into turmoil on Thursday as one of the Liberian witnesses flown to Switzerland to testify on Mr Kosiah's behalf told the court he will not return to Liberia because his life is in danger following his testimony.

"It will be better for me to be jailed with Kosiah because my life will be protected," he told the Swiss Federal Criminal Court prosecuting Mr Kosiah for war crimes in connection with Liberia's 14-year civil war. "My life is not safe in Liberia."

The man had arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday and was to return to Liberia on Thursday. He is one of several witnesses called by Mr Kosiah himself to help him establish his defence that he was not guilty of the war crim...