[Pak Daily Times] A Bangladeshi court on Sunday ordered prison authorities to hang an Islamist leader months after he was sentenced to death, raising fears of a new wave of festivities in the country. Abdul Quader Molla, a key leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami...
The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka
The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an
independentbranch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores...
party, was given the death penalty in September when the Supreme Court toughened the life sentence originally handed down to him by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), a domestic war crimes court.
The ICT on Sunday "issued a warrant of execution for Molla", and sent it to the prison authorities, meaning the 65-year-old could now be executed any day unless he is pardoned by President Abdul Hamid or the case is reviewed by the highest court.
"The prison authorities will now execute him in line with the jail codes," prosecutor Zead Al Malum told AFP, stressing only a presidential clemency can stop the execution.
Deputy Law Minister Quamrul Islam told AFP Molla could be executed "in the shortest possible time". He did not give any time frame.
Defence lawyers said Molla's verdict can still be reviewed by the highest court. But Islam and prosecutors differed.
"It will be an act of murder if he is executed before the case is reviewed by the Supreme Court. It will be violation of the constitution," defence lawyer Tajul Islam told AFP.
Observers say Molla could be hanged on December 16 to commemorate Bangladesh's 1971 war against Pakistain.
Probably the current govt wants to stretch his neck before losing power to BNP, which would pardon him and let him go back to his work of religious subversion.
