Jamaat: Transfer war trials to another country

Counsels of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders facing war crimes charges yesterday asked visiting US envoy Stephen J Rapp to press his government so that the trials be shifted to a third country and monitored by the UN.

These suggestions had been made by the Sub-Committee for Foreign Operations of the US Congress, Tajul Islam told journalists after meeting the US ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues in the capital.

“Although he [Rapp] earlier made 27 recommendations including formation of an appeal chamber, paving way for a High Court judicial review and ensuring facilities for the defence as per international standards, none of them were implemented by the [Bangladesh] government.

“We asked him about his goals during the fifth visit…We requested him to press these two issues in the US Congress [after he returns home].”

Eight lawyers, including BNP chairperson’s Adviser Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, who represent the Jamaat leaders in the trials joined the hour-long meeting held at Hotel Westin in Gulshan.

Tajul also urged Rapp to make sure that no innocent person was prosecuted under the “faulty trial process.”

One of the convicted war criminals, Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Molla, was executed last year while several others were convicted to different terms for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. Opposing the birth of Bangladesh, Jamaat had formed militia units to collaborate with the Pakistani occupation forces.

Tajul claimed that the trial process had already been termed “faulty” by the US, human rights bodies and the international community.

Criticising media for misquoting the US envoy, he said: “Many newspapers claimed that Rapp is happy with the trial process, but he told us that he never said anything like that.”

Rapp did not speak to media after the meeting. He would announce his views formally before leaving Bangladesh, the Jamaat lawyer said.

Earlier, Rapp met with the judges of the two war tribunals. According to BSS, Rapp told journalists: “I had discussions with the judges and talked about the cases. They are doing their jobs without pressure and without politics. I salute their service and their courage.

“The US government strongly supports this judicial process.”

Source: Dhaka tribune