DHAKA: The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Wednesday sentenced Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdus Subhan to death for his crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.

The three-member tribunal headed by Justice Obaidul Hassan pronounced the verdict.

The other panel members are Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Shahinur Rahman.

The tribunal awarded death penalty to Subhan as he was found guilty in three charges, including of intellectuals’ murder, out of nine brought against him.

The charges are:

1. Killing around 400 people by the Pakistan army and its local collaborators allegedly under his leadership in several villages of Satbaria union under Sujanagar upazila on May 12.

4. Killing five people and looting and torching of several houses in Sahapur village in Ishwardi of Pabna on May 2.

6. Abduction and killing of three named people and several unnamed in Ishwardi on April 17-18 in 1971.

The Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat was also sentenced to jail until death on 2nd and 7th charges.

The charges are:

2. Killing of five people and injuring three others at Juktitala village of Ishwardi on April 13.

7. Abduction and killing of at least 18 villagers at Varara of Pabna in May;

Besides, he awarded five years’ imprisonment for the 3rd charge for killing of five people apart from looting and torching of several houses in Sahapur village in Ishwardi on May 2.

On the other hand, as prosecution failed to proof, the court acquitted him of the 5th, 8th and, 9th charges of killing and torching of houses at Kulunia and Dogachhi villages in Pabna on May 11, abduction and killing of two people of Dublia Bazar of Pabna in the first week of September and abduction and killing of four people at Betbaria village in Ishwardi at the end of November.

Earlier at 8:50am, Subhan was taken to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) prison cell from Dhaka Central Jail.

The 77-year-old Jamaat leader was the vice-president of Pabna Peace Committee, an associate organization of the Pakistani army at that time of war in 1971.

He was the founder ameer of Jamaat in Pabna and a Majlish-e-Sura member of the central unit of Jamaat in undivided Pakistan.

On September 20 in 2012, Subhan was arrested following a warrant, issued against him by a Pabna court.

Later, he was shown arrested in the case of committing crimes against humanity during the war.

** Subhan verdict being read out

BDST: 1402 HRS, FEB 18, 2015