Liberian former president Charles Taylor was absent Wednesday for the second day of closing arguments in his trial for arming rebels who killed and maimed thousands in Sierra Leone.

"I note the absence of the accused," Judge Teresa Doherty from Ireland said on the second day set aside for closing arguments, the final step before the judges retire to consider their judgement.

Taylor and his lawyer, scheduled to present their closing arguments Wednesday, were defiantly absent after a trial of more than three years on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

"We made a decision yesterday that unless and until these judges are prepared to accept the defence final brief and so be in a position to consider our arguments, we are not going to cooperate with this trial," defence lawyer Courtenay Griffiths told journalists outside the courtroom.

Griffiths stormed out of the court on Tuesday in a showdown with the judges, protesting their refusal to condone his late filing of a written summary of defence evidence.

This was followed two hours later by Taylor refusing to return to the courtroom after a morning coffee break.

Griffiths has filed a bid to appeal the ruling which must be considered before any finality can be reached.

Final statements are scheduled to continue on Friday at 11:30, but the lawyer insisted that neither he nor his client would be present.

On Wednesday, the court received a letter stating that Taylor "waived his right to be present."

"As far as we are concerned it would be totally illegitimate for us to get involved in this stage," Griffiths told journalists.

Taylor, 62, pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, claiming his trial was based on "lies" and an intelligence conspiracy.

He is the first African head of state to be tried by an international tribunal.

(Source: RNW/AFP)