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Monday, March 19, 2012

Nine charges against Quamaruzzaman

The prosecution on Monday brought nine charges against Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general Mohammad Quamaruzzaman at the war crimes tribunal.

The International Crimes Tribunal, set up to deal with crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, will continue to hear arguments following formal charges of the prosecution after lunch.

The tribunal was also expected to hear arguments of the defence against Jamaat's former chief Ghulam Azam's indictment but deferred the hearing to Mar 25.

Prosecutor Saiful Islam concluded reading the formal charges against Quamaruzzaman who has been mainly charged with atrocities committed by Al Badr men in Mymensingh district during the war.

The Jamaat leader, who headed Mymensingh's Islami Chhatra Sangha unit, as Jamaat's student wing used to be called then, has been accused for his command responsibility of the Al Badr.

Al Badr, besides the Al Shams, Al Mujahid and Razakars, mobilised by Jamaat, was notorious for its atrocities as it actively engaged against the liberation forces in 1971.

The prosecution's position is that since Al Badr consisted of Chhatra Sangha members, Al Badr atrocities in Mymensingh fall on Quamaruzzaman's shoulders.

Charges against the Jamaat assistant secretary general are almost entirely from the Mymensingh district where he allegedly founded the Al Badr militia and instigated anti-liberation efforts.

The Jamaat leader has also been charged for collective responsibility besides crimes against humanity including murder and rape. He has also been charged with crimes against peace, incitement, planning and conspiracy.