The International Crimes Tribunal 2 yesterday asked the defence for war crimes accused Jamaat-e-Islami leader AKM Yusuf to shorten its cross-examination of the investigation officer and conclude by Thursday after the IO gave his deposition for an hour.
“No need to describe the matter, just mention the exhibit number and come to the point,” the tribunal told defence counsel Mizanul Islam during cross-examination for the second day.
Differing with the tribunal, advocate Mizanul Islam said: “I will not elaborate on all exhibits but some evidence are so important they need to be checked out.” However, he accepted the tribunal’s deadline.
Defence asked whether it was true or false that on July, 2010, Rampal police station gave a report saying they had not found any information on crimes against humanity at Rampal and Dakra genocide by the Pakistani army. IO Helal Uddin answered that he had started his investigationafter that police report came out.
Yusuf was not produced before the tribunal during the cross-examination.
Helal Uddin said there was enough evidence to prove that Yusuf had been the founding chairman of peace committee in Bagerhat, Satkhira and Khulna districts during the Liberation War. The accused was also the top leader of the region’s razakar group, he said.
The IO said Yusuf had established peace committee branches in every upazila and union with the supporters of Jamaat, Muslim League and other anti-liberation forces. After giving them training, on May 5, 1971, Yusuf had formed an armed group and named it razakar, Helal added.
Defence asked the IO questions about the founding of peace committee saying,“You tried to hide some information from daily Purbadesh that gave a different aspect of the founding of Razakar.” Helal denied the allegation. The defence counsel then questioned him on daily Azad’s March 10, 1971 issue.
The tribunal indicted Yusuf, Jamaat-e-Islami senior nayeb-e-ameer, on August 1, 2012 on 13 charges of crimes against humanity.
