BANGLADESH NEWS
Human rights activist Sultana Kamal on Tuesday said former Jamaat-e-Islami chief and guru Ghulam Azam was the 'mastermind' behind the collaborators of Pakistani Army during the Liberation War in 1971.
She told the first war crimes tribunal as the third prosecution witness against Azam that the collaborators who sided with the Pakistani military junta to retain the its unity and endorsed its activities 'are equally responsible' for the crimes.
The three-judge International Crimes Tribunal-1, set up to try crimes against humanity during the nine-month War of Independence in 1971, indicted the Jamaat guru on Apr 13 for a number of crimes including incitement, abetment and planning of war crimes.
The 63-year witness, also the elder daughter of poet and activist Sufia Kamal, said as leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami and 'perhaps also as one of the leaders of Peace Committee' Ghulam Azam was at the forefront.
She said, along the same line, "and I remember quite clearly" that on Aug 23 in Lahore and Aug 31 in Hyderabad Ghulam Azam had spoken publicly supporting the activities of the Pakistani Army.
"He called upon the people to annihilate the liberation forces."
She said it should be noted that while there was a full scale war in the then East Pakistan, Ghulam Azam spoke publicly against it and was even able to meet the regime's head President Yahiya Khan.
The trust and confidence placed in him, she said, was indicative of Ghulam Azam's extent of cooperation and collaboration.
"He said that the freedom fighters must be beaten and boasted that the Razakars, by themselves, were good enough for the task."
Sultana Kamal, resuming her deposition from Monday, continued that Ghulam Azam had provided for the philosophical basis and planned the formation of Razakar, Peace Committee, Al Badr and Al Shams.
The Razakar, Al Badr and Al Shams were vigilante militia groups led by the Jamaat and people by its members and student cadres.
The witness also linked Ghulam Azam with the execution of intellectuals during the last days of the war between Dec 10 and Dec 14.
Senior defence counsel Mizanul Islam, who had been cross-examining another high-profile prosecution witness against Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed over the last few days, began his cross-examination and continued until after 3pm but the proceedings were adjourned much before the court's regular time of 4:30pm.
The defence counsel said he had to visit the hospital and the tribunal Chairman asked him how much more time he would need. The counsel replied he would need three working days. Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq, the tribunal Chairman, said he would not pass any order in that regard and only asked the question to hear the counsel.
The case was adjourned until Wednesday.
She told the first war crimes tribunal as the third prosecution witness against Azam that the collaborators who sided with the Pakistani military junta to retain the its unity and endorsed its activities 'are equally responsible' for the crimes.
The three-judge International Crimes Tribunal-1, set up to try crimes against humanity during the nine-month War of Independence in 1971, indicted the Jamaat guru on Apr 13 for a number of crimes including incitement, abetment and planning of war crimes.
The 63-year witness, also the elder daughter of poet and activist Sufia Kamal, said as leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami and 'perhaps also as one of the leaders of Peace Committee' Ghulam Azam was at the forefront.
She said, along the same line, "and I remember quite clearly" that on Aug 23 in Lahore and Aug 31 in Hyderabad Ghulam Azam had spoken publicly supporting the activities of the Pakistani Army.
"He called upon the people to annihilate the liberation forces."
She said it should be noted that while there was a full scale war in the then East Pakistan, Ghulam Azam spoke publicly against it and was even able to meet the regime's head President Yahiya Khan.
The trust and confidence placed in him, she said, was indicative of Ghulam Azam's extent of cooperation and collaboration.
"He said that the freedom fighters must be beaten and boasted that the Razakars, by themselves, were good enough for the task."
Sultana Kamal, resuming her deposition from Monday, continued that Ghulam Azam had provided for the philosophical basis and planned the formation of Razakar, Peace Committee, Al Badr and Al Shams.
The Razakar, Al Badr and Al Shams were vigilante militia groups led by the Jamaat and people by its members and student cadres.
The witness also linked Ghulam Azam with the execution of intellectuals during the last days of the war between Dec 10 and Dec 14.
Senior defence counsel Mizanul Islam, who had been cross-examining another high-profile prosecution witness against Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed over the last few days, began his cross-examination and continued until after 3pm but the proceedings were adjourned much before the court's regular time of 4:30pm.
The defence counsel said he had to visit the hospital and the tribunal Chairman asked him how much more time he would need. The counsel replied he would need three working days. Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq, the tribunal Chairman, said he would not pass any order in that regard and only asked the question to hear the counsel.
The case was adjourned until Wednesday.
