First discovered in 1930, the diamonds of Sierra Leone have funded one of the most savage rebel campaigns in modern history. These "blood diamonds" are smuggled out of West Africa and sold to legitimate diamond merchants in London, Antwerp, and New York. This book is the gripping tale of how the diamond smuggling works, how the rebel war has effectively destroyed Sierra Leone and its people, and how the policies of the diamond industry--institutionalized in the 1880s by the De Beers cartel--have allowed it to happen. The author traces the deadly trail of these diamonds and shows how the repercussions of diamond smuggling are felt far beyond the borders of the poor and war-ridden country of Africa. Updated with new material from Campbell's return visit to Sierra Leone in 2011, Blood diamonds remains just as timely and important as ever--cover p. [4].

From pits of despair to altars of love : Kenema, Sierra Leone -- Diamond junction : a smuggler's paradise : Freetown, Sierra Leone -- The gun runners : from Tongo to Tiffany's : Monrovia, Liberia -- Death by diamonds : Operation no living thing : Freetown, Sierra Leone -- The syndicate : a diamond is forever : London -- Waging peace : taking the conflict out of "conflict diamonds" : Makeni, Sierra Leone -- The way station : next stop, Liberia : Kailahun, Sierra Leone -- "The base" : Osama's war chest : West Africa, Afghanistan, New York -- The rough road ahead : mining for peace : Freetown, Sierra Leone.