A prosecution witness yesterday told the International Crimes Tribunal that AKM Yusuf was the chairman of Jamaat-e-Islami and the founder of Razakar in 1971.
Seventy-six-year old freedom fighter Yusuf Ali Sikder, the fourth prosecution witness against Jamaat leader AKM Yusuf in the war crimes cases, also described the death of his co-fighters during the Liberation War and claimed that all of them were killed upon orders by the war crime suspect.
Later, a junior defence lawyer began cross examining the witness as the senior counsel was not present at the tribunal because of hartal. The cross examination remained unfinished and the tribunal set tomorrow for further proceedings.
Witness Yusuf said after March 7, he had started planning to take part in the Liberation War by forming a resistance committee. On March 26, he, along with some other freedom fighters, joined with nine sub sector commander Ziauddin Ahmed at Sundarban area. “Then we formed a group called Alpha and I was made its commander.”
After March 26, some Razakars came to Soronkhola and set up two camps. One of the camps was at a police station and the other was at the house of Nasir Mia, a businessman of Rayendabazar.
“On July 6, we attacked Rayenda bazaar. But somehow they got information about before the attack. At three in the morning, we heard the sound of a launch and came to know that Maolana Yusuf was coming with some razakars.
“Suddenly they opened fire on us. We also fired back. When we ran out of bullets, we decided to retreat. But the razakars captured some of our co-fighters including Captain Anwer, Azmat Ali Munsi and Ismail. The razakar’s took them to Mowlana Yusuf and tortured them. After torturing them throughout the night, Yusuf ordered for their shooting,” the prosecution witness continued.
On May 8, the prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal 2 charged AKM Yusuf with the murder of eight people and the mass killing of 700 others, looting 300 houses and 400 shops, and forcing 200 Hindus to convert to Islam.
Jamaat-e-Islami leader AKM Yusuf was indicted on 13 war crimes charges, including killing, genocide and arson, religious conversion and deportation of people.