Jamaat out to foil war trial: by Sharif ul Islam, The Daily Star
Dhaka, July 6: The three detained Jamaat-e-Islami stalwarts yesterday disclosed during interrogation that they took up a three-month-long campaign across the country to foil the move of trying the war criminals of 1971.
In the face of intensive interrogation, the Jamaat trio admitted that they allocated Tk 66 lakh for the campaign project for holding seminars and symposiums across the country, said a top police official who is interrogating the Jamaat leaders.
Interestingly, the Jamaat leaders, against whom there is ample evidence of atrocity during the Liberation War, have also formed a committee to prepare a list of war criminals.
“The committee has already prepared a list of 50 war criminals which mostly contains the names of Awami League leaders,” said the official seeking anonymity.
For their campaign, Jamaat has also formed a 10-member committee headed by one of the party central leader who happens to be a Supreme Court lawyer. The committee’s task is to make the campaign a success involving “intellectuals”.
Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, its Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid and Nayeb-e-Ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee are now being interrogated at the Detective Branch headquarters in the capital in connection with two cases filed with Paltan Police Station.
During interrogation, Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami was also questioned about the statement he made in 2004 that “there is no existence of Bangla Bhai, it is a fictitious character created by a section of the media”.
Nizami initially denied making such remark. But soon the interrogators produced paper clippings and video footage recorded in 2004 and 2005, said the official.
“He then seemed a bit ashamed and chose to remain silent,” said another official.
Nizami was the chief of Al-Badar, a militia formed with local collaborators of the then occupying Pakistani army to eliminate the intellectuals of Bangladesh in 1971.
About Bangla Bhai who was once a member of Islami Chhatra Shibir, Nizami denied his [Bangla Bhai] involvement with Shibir, a Jamaat-backed student body.
Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, the executed second-in command of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), in an interview with The Daily Star in May 2004 claimed that he was a Shibir member till 1995.
The interrogators also questioned the Jamaat trio about their alleged link with JMB. The trio made the mention of JMB Majlish-e-Sura member Shahed who is now studying at a university in Saudi Arabia.
“We wanted to know how Shahed got admitted to the university when none from Bangladesh is enrolled in the university without the recommendation of Jamaat leaders,” said the official.
The interrogators also questioned former industries minister Nizami about 1,182 tonnes of rock sulphur, a bomb making ingredient, which was removed from Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Factory Ltd during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government through fake invoice.
JMB member Mohammad Salafi was the storekeeper of the fertiliser factory and the intelligence department believes that the stolen consignment was destined for JMB.
Asked if he had influenced the investigation of the consignment, Nizami denied the allegation.
Meanwhile, sources said JMB member Shaikat, now in DB custody, refused to offer prayers standing behind Nizami Sunday night saying that he would not offer his prayers standing behind a man who “wrongly explains” Islam http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=145554
Dhaka, July 6: The three detained Jamaat-e-Islami stalwarts yesterday disclosed during interrogation that they took up a three-month-long campaign across the country to foil the move of trying the war criminals of 1971.
In the face of intensive interrogation, the Jamaat trio admitted that they allocated Tk 66 lakh for the campaign project for holding seminars and symposiums across the country, said a top police official who is interrogating the Jamaat leaders.
Interestingly, the Jamaat leaders, against whom there is ample evidence of atrocity during the Liberation War, have also formed a committee to prepare a list of war criminals.
“The committee has already prepared a list of 50 war criminals which mostly contains the names of Awami League leaders,” said the official seeking anonymity.
For their campaign, Jamaat has also formed a 10-member committee headed by one of the party central leader who happens to be a Supreme Court lawyer. The committee’s task is to make the campaign a success involving “intellectuals”.
Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, its Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid and Nayeb-e-Ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee are now being interrogated at the Detective Branch headquarters in the capital in connection with two cases filed with Paltan Police Station.
During interrogation, Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami was also questioned about the statement he made in 2004 that “there is no existence of Bangla Bhai, it is a fictitious character created by a section of the media”.
Nizami initially denied making such remark. But soon the interrogators produced paper clippings and video footage recorded in 2004 and 2005, said the official.
“He then seemed a bit ashamed and chose to remain silent,” said another official.
Nizami was the chief of Al-Badar, a militia formed with local collaborators of the then occupying Pakistani army to eliminate the intellectuals of Bangladesh in 1971.
About Bangla Bhai who was once a member of Islami Chhatra Shibir, Nizami denied his [Bangla Bhai] involvement with Shibir, a Jamaat-backed student body.
Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, the executed second-in command of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), in an interview with The Daily Star in May 2004 claimed that he was a Shibir member till 1995.
The interrogators also questioned the Jamaat trio about their alleged link with JMB. The trio made the mention of JMB Majlish-e-Sura member Shahed who is now studying at a university in Saudi Arabia.
“We wanted to know how Shahed got admitted to the university when none from Bangladesh is enrolled in the university without the recommendation of Jamaat leaders,” said the official.
The interrogators also questioned former industries minister Nizami about 1,182 tonnes of rock sulphur, a bomb making ingredient, which was removed from Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Factory Ltd during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government through fake invoice.
JMB member Mohammad Salafi was the storekeeper of the fertiliser factory and the intelligence department believes that the stolen consignment was destined for JMB.
Asked if he had influenced the investigation of the consignment, Nizami denied the allegation.
Meanwhile, sources said JMB member Shaikat, now in DB custody, refused to offer prayers standing behind Nizami Sunday night saying that he would not offer his prayers standing behind a man who “wrongly explains” Islam http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=145554
