UN war crimes prosecutors in The Hague have subpoenaed British supermodel Naomi Campbell over claims that she was given blood diamonds by Liberia's former president Charles Taylor, who is facing grave charges of crimes against humanity.



Campbell is believed to have received a rough diamond – believed to be a blood diamond – from Taylor in September 1997, while she was a guest of Nelson Mandela in South Africa.



Campbell has refused to comment on the allegations.



According to the Guardian, court documents issued by the prosecution stated that the subpoena was issued as "Ms. Campbell, as the actual recipient of the accused's gift of diamonds, is clearly in a position to provide material evidence about this event."



The court documents also say repeated attempts to interview the model had been unsuccessful and that she had publicly stated she did not want to be involved.



"Thus, judicial intervention in the form of a subpoena is necessary," the prosecution argues.



Charles Taylor has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He has dismissed the Campbell diamonds story as "total nonsense."