Former general accused of coup plot

MONROVIA, Liberia, July 19 (UPI) -- A former Liberian army commander has become the first in the country to be arrested for "subversive activities" since the country's 2005 elections.

Former Gen. Charles Julu, who led the presidential guard under former Liberian leader Samuel Doe and planned a 1994 coup attempt, was arrested and accused of planning another rebellion, the BBC reported Thursday.

"There is hard evidence that this man was trying to plan a coup," Liberian Information Minister Laurence Bropleh said.

Bropleh said investigators have video evidence to back up the government's accusations of coup plotting. He said authorities in Ivory Coast are assisting in the investigation.

The election of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in 2005 followed a 14-year war in the country. Some 15,000 U.N. peacekeepers are stationed in Liberia.