The defence of war crimes accused Syed Mohammad Qaisar yesterday ended cross-examination of a prosecution witness who said the accused and his group “Qaisar Bahini” had led the Pakistani occupation forces to commit atrocities in Madhabpur of Habiganj during the 1971 Liberation War.
Mohammad Ali Pathan, 64, the fourth prosecution witness, was a freedom fighter under the S-Force led by Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah.
During the cross-examination at tribunal 2, defence counsel Abdus Sobhan Tarafder grilled him about the “Qaisar Bahini” in detail and claimed that the witness had come to testify under pressure of the prosecution. He denied the suggestion.
Pathan also confirmed that the accused, a former state minister in HM Ershad’s regime, had been the chief of “Qaisar Bahini.”
After his cross-examination, the International Crimes Tribunal 2 set April 9 for further witness.
Patthan described the incidents of attack and casualties in Madhabpur and Krishnanagar areas in Habiganj perpetrated by the “Qaisar Bahini” and the Pakistani troops in his deposition.
Meanwhile, prosecution yesterday placed two seizer list witnesses in the trial against Chittagong al-Badr commander Mir Kashem Ali, a Jamaat-e-Islami Executive Council member.
Mohammad Kawser Sheikh from Chittagong Public Library submitted his deposition as the 21st prosecutions witness. He said the investigation officer had taken some documentary evidence from the library and his signature.
The defence counsels declined to cross examine him. The prosecution then placed Ejab Uddin, an assistant librarian at Bangla Academy. After his deposition, the defence grilled him.
The tribunal 2 set April 8 for further witness.
The prosecution said they would place another seizer list witness that day, and if possible, would try to place the investigation officer of the case as their last witness.
The tribunal framed 14 charges against Mir Kashem, the chairman of Diganta Media Corporation that owns Diganta TV and the daily Naya Diganta. Of the charges, two are for killings while the rest are for abetting and facilitation of abduction, confinement and torture. The formal trial began on November 18 last year.
