that Islam was its ideology, no proof of humanity and tolerance was found in its activities during the Liberation War, International Crimes Tribunal-2 said yesterday in its verdict against Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed.Terming the pro-liberation Bangalee people "miscreants", "agents of India", and "enemies of Islam", the Jamaat had opted to wipe them out only in the name of preserving Pakistan, noted the tribunal judges.
"The nation will be failing to acknowledge the sacrifices of millions of people who had laid their lives and honour for the cause of our hard-earned independence if individuals like the present accused [Mojaheed] are not brought to book for their notorious role and active contribution and endorsement for committing systematic atrocities in 1971 in the territory of Bangladesh," they added.
Reiterating the observations made in the verdict against another Jamaat leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman in May this year, the tribunal said the victims and sufferers of the diabolical atrocities do have the right to know the Jamaat's role in 1971.
The ICT-2 handed death sentence to Mojaheed, secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War 42 years ago.
The same tribunal had found Kamaruzzaman, one of the key organisers of the infamous Al-Badr, guilty of committing crimes against humanity and sentenced him to death.
Yesterday's verdict also said, "The Jamaat-e-Islami had played a substantial role in formation of the Al-Badar [Al-Badr], Razakar, al-Shams and peace committees and of course not with the intent to guard the civilians and their property."
The Al-Badr was an "action section" and "armed wing" of the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was formed mainly with the workers of the Jamaat's student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha, observed the judges.
The Jamaat, they said, had indulged in indiscriminate massacre of their political opponents belonging to the Bangalee nation in the name of liquidating "miscreants" and "infiltrators" for which it had used Razakars and Al-Badr.
The tribunal further held that the Jamaat had allowed the creation of Al-Badr and Razakar to operate an assembly line of incalculable atrocities in the territory of Bangladesh in 1971.
This party cannot be relieved of the accountability of unspeakable mayhem, atrocities and murders committed by the Al-Badr, which was created by it (Jamaat), stated the court.