The Appellate Division has fixed February 2 for hearing an appeal by Jamaat-e-Islami’s key financier Mir Quasem Ali, seeking review of his death penalty for war crimes.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice SK Sinha fixed the date on Wednesday, confirms Attorney General Mahbubey Alam.
On the 3rd November of 2014, a commander of para militia force al-Badr during the war, Mir Quasem was awarded capital punishment by the International Crimes Tribunal 2.
“The al-Badr camp at Daleem Hotel [in Andorkilla area] was a ‘criminal enterprise’ of which accused Mir Quasem Ali was a ‘boss,’” says the verdict. “Mir Quasem Ali had been in steering and guiding position of al-Badr force headquartered at Daleem Hotel which was a ‘death-factory’ indeed.”
Just after completion of delivering the verdict, Mir Quasem stood up shouting: “False incidents, false witnesses, dictated verdict. Truth will win, lies will be defeated...soon, soon.”
The tribunal handed down death penalty in two charges for killing seven people, including one Jasimuddin, after abduction. He was awarded a total of 72-year imprisonment on other charges of abduction, conspiracy and planning. Four charges were not proved.
Mir Quasem joined Islami Chhatra Sangha, then student wing of Jamaat, in 1967 while studying at Chittagong Collegiate School. He later became its Chittagong City unit general secretary. He played an important role in forming al-Badr Bahini that orchestrated systematic killing of freedom fighters and intellectuals.
