ICT to consider charges against Nizami, 3 others Dec 28

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`The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has set December 28 to consider whether it would take into cognizance the war crimes charges brought against four detained Jama'at-e-Islami leaders, including its ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami, reports UNB. The tribunal's consideration will take place in presence of all the four accused. The three-member tribunal, headed by Justice M Nizamul Huq, on Sunday passed the order when chief prosecutor Gholam Arif Tipu submitted a petition for taking into cognizance the formal charge against remaining accused Abdul Quader Mollah. On December 11, after submitting three formal charges against Jama'at ameer Nizami , its secretary general Mohammad Mojaheed and assistant secretary general M Kamaruzzaman, the chief prosecutor moved a petition seeking more time as it could not complete the formal charges against Mollah. Emerging from the tribunal, prosecutor Mohammad Ali told reporters that seven specific charges have been brought against Quader Mollah which includes killings, arson and loot in Mohammadpur, Mirpur and Keraniganj areas in the capital. "Mollah was directly involved in the atrocities committed in Mirpur and Mohammadpur areas during the 1971 liberation war." Later, the defence lawyers cross-examined prosecution witness No 2 Ruhul Amin Nabin, also a freedom fighter, in presence of detained war crimes suspect Jama'at-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee which remained inconclusive. During the hearing, the tribunal expressed its disappointment at the mode of cross-examination by the defence counsel as it moved remote instead of fitting questions, resulting in time killing. Referring to an 'irrelevant' question by a defence counsel, the tribunal asked him: "What type of question it is whether the prosecution witness in his school life was a student leader or class captain?" "We don't understand. There must be a limit, where is the relevance of asking the question sans evidence," the tribunal added. On the other hand, despite tribunal's repeated warning the prosecution side could not restrain from interrupting the defence lawyer during framing question for prosecution witnesses. With the double-pronged problems created by both the defence and prosecution lawyers, the usual judicial process got stuck, said an observer who witnesses the regular trial proceedings. Earlier, all the five war crime suspects were produced in the dock amid tight security. The tribunal resumes on Monday.