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Bangladesh
Jamaat to take on war crime trial
2009-01-30
Not from any conviction but to save its skin from the move to try war criminals, Jamaat-e-Islami plans to make a strategic apology not for its war crimes during the Liberation War but for its political stance in 1971. Besides, the Islamist party is discussing some other measures like getting rid of a few "controversial" party leaders.

Majlish-e-Sura, the highest policymaking body of the religion-based political party, began a two-day meet yesterday to decide the party's next course of action in the current situation. "We are thinking of seeking formal apology for Jamaat's anti-Liberation War role to save the party from the present crisis," a top Jamaat leader said.

Jamaat-e-Islami directly opposed Bangladesh's War of Independence and many of its leaders were allegedly involved in committing war crimes.
But this apology, if it ever comes, will be worded in such a way so that the party never acknowledges any war crime committed by Jamaat leaders during the war, sources said. This Jamaat stance is reflected in the party's cobbling together a panel of lawyers to tackle the war crime charges that the party now stares at, Jamaat insiders said.

Jamaat leaders say they would accept the verdict of any trial conducted and supervised by the United Nations and would eliminate those who would be found guilty in the trial.

Party high-ups admitted they are in a grave crisis at present and also fearing severe troubles in the coming days centring the issue of trial of Jamaat leaders who were involved in war crimes in 1971. "We will eliminate the leaders from the party if they are found guilty of committing crimes in the trial," a senior Jamaat leader told The Daily Star.

The issue of the trial of war criminals has surfaced and gained mass support after the landslide victory of the Awami League-led grand alliance in the December 29 parliamentary elections. Jamaat-e-Islami directly opposed Bangladesh's War of Independence and many of its leaders were allegedly involved in committing war crimes.

Anticipating sure defeat, the Pakistani occupation forces and their collaborators--Razakars and members of Al-Badr and Al-Shams who were mostly leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student front Islami Chhatra Shangha--picked up leading Bangalee intellectuals and professionals on December 14 and killed them en masse with a view to crippling the nation intellectually. War records show Jamaat formed the Razakars and Al-Badr forces to counter the freedom fighters. The then secretary general of Jamaat Moulana Abul Kalam Mohammad Yousuf established the Razakars and Al-Badr with Islami Chhatra Shangha members.
Posted by:Fred

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