International

Jamaat founder faces arrest for war crimes

Jamaat founder faces arrest for war crimes

October 31, 2011 | 12:00 AM

Ghulam Azam

By Mizan RahmanDhakaThe investigation agency through the prosecution, has urged the International Crimes Tribunal to bring founder of Bangladesh’s Islamist political outfit Jamaat-e-Islami, Ghulam Azam, to justice for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the 1971 liberation war.
Abdul Hannan Khan, co-ordinator of the 19-member investigation agency, said this while briefing reporters about the finalisation of investigation reports on four war criminal suspects - detained Jamaat leaders Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid, M Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Kader Molla.“We’ve already finalised the report on Azam after thorough investigation into his alleged crimes against humanity during the liberation war,” he said.“We’ll hand over all the five reports (about Jamaat leaders) to the prosecution before the tribunal sits for hearing on Tuesday,” he added.Investigation officer Motiur Rahman, who deals with the case of Prof Ghulam Azam, said that through the prosecutor, he will submit the investigation report along with a prayer seeking issuance of arrest warrant against the former Jamaat supremo.All the five Jamaat leaders are likely to be charged under section 3(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 for genocide, murder, rape, torture, loot and arson during the Bangladesh Liberation war, four decades ago.On Sunday, a special court set up to try war crimes suspects delayed the start of its first trial. The prosecution was due to make an opening statement against Delawar Hossain Sayedee, a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami charged with 20 counts including crimes against humanity and genocide. But lawyers for Sayedee asked for a review of the charges and called for the withdrawal of tribunal chairman Nizamul Huq because of his alleged bias against defendants. “The tribunal set November 16 for hearing of the review petition. The trial will now start on November 20,” court register Shahinul Islam said. The court, called the International Crimes Tribunal, is a domestic set-up with no United Nations oversight or involvement. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina — the daughter of independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman — established the court after she returned to power in 2009, but it has been widely criticised for targeting her political opponents. On October 3, the tribunal framed charges against Sayedee as it (tribunal) primarily assumed that the crimes were committed under section 3(2) of the 1973 act and the accused was involved in these offences.
October 31, 2011 | 12:00 AM