Bangladesh Jamaat leader sentenced to death for war crimes

Mir Quasem Ali, a top leader of Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami, was sentenced to death Sunday for crimes committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2, chaired by Justice Obaidul Hassan, passed the sentence nearly six months after a case against him was wrapped up and he was found guilty, bdnews24.com reported.

The court said in its verdict that eight of the 14 charges levelled against him have been proved while two were partially proved.

On Wednesday, Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal-1.

Quasem has been sentenced to death for killing young freedom fighter 'Jashim' and several others who could be identified and for dumping their bodies into the Karnaphuli river.

He was also given 72 years in prison for various charges, including torture, abduction and confinement.

The defence counsel said they will appeal against the verdict.

"The prosecution failed to provide documents to prove his presence in Chittagong when the said crimes were committed. Quasem was actually in Dhaka," defence counsel Md. Mizanul Islam said.

Quasem is said to have been the third man in vigilante militia Al-Badr's command during the 1971 Liberation War.

He was brought to the courtroom Sunday morning. He rose and reacted loudly when the judge announced the death sentence for him.

He was indicted Sep 5 last year on 14 counts, including murder, abduction and torture. His trial ended May 4 this year.

Quasem is said to be one of Jamaat's top financiers. He is also the director of Islami Bank and chairman of the Diganta Media Corporation.

He was arrested June 17 last year from the office of newspaper Naya Diganta less than two hours after the tribunal issued a arrest warrant against him.