 A Rajshahi court yesterday sentenced 13 militants of Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Ahle Hadith Andolan Bangladesh (Ahab) to life imprisonment in an August 17 serial blast case in Joypurhat. The Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge AFM Aminul Islam convicted them under the Explosives Act for carrying and exploding bombs at seven spots in four areas in the district. He also fined the convicted persons Tk 5000 each and ordered one more year in jail if they chose not to pay the fine.
The convicted are: a former Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh president of Khetlal union Montezar Rahman, Azizul Bari Mintu, madrasa teacher Mehdi Hasan, Majnu Mia, rickshaw-puller Atoar Rahman, Dulal alias Hares, Shariful Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Abdur Rouf, Mansur Rahman, Rabiul Islam, Zahangir Alam and Golam Mostafa. Among the convicted Montezar, Mehdi Hasan, Mansur and Shariful are absconding.
| Soon as they catch 'em they for it, though... |
The judge however acquitted 14 accused people including a few who gave confessional statements before magistrates as the prosecution failed to prove their guilt. The acquitted are: Al Hera Shilpi Gosthi Chief Shafikul Islam, Bazla Ahab mosque imam Hafez Shafikul Islam, Dulal Hossain, Mozammel Haque, Idris Ali, Abdul Jabbar, Aminul Islam Zahed, Ziaur Rahman, Redwan Bari Akhand, Mustafizur Rahman, Afaz Uddin Poheli, Habibur Rahman, Abdul Ma'bud and Selim.
| Let the holy man off, did they? Why am I not surprised? |
Among the acquitted, Habibur Rahman and Afaz Uddin Poheli confessed their involvement in testing the bombs before blasts. Rickshaw-puller Atoar Rahman, Dulal, Ahab adherents Azizul Bari Mintu, Jahangir Alam, Rabiul Islam gave confessional statements. Azizul Bari Mintu in his confessional statement said the bombs were distributed from Bazla Ahab mosque. Among the 29 charge-sheeted accused in the case, Hafizar Rahman, finance secretary of militant kingpin Asadullah Al Galib's Ahab and Sultan were exempted from the case as they were dead.
| Dead is good. I like dead. |
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