It's a bid to take revenge

War crimes accused Ghulam Azam's son yesterday said legal proceeding against his father was undertaken after 40 years "to take revenge following failure to face him politically".
Brig Gen Abdullahil Amaan Azmi (dismissed), son of the former Jamaat ameer, made this claim while giving deposition as the first defence witness for his father at the International Crimes Tribunal-1.
In his two-hour-long deposition, Azmi narrated his personal life and professional career but said almost nothing about the case.
Mentioning himself as one of the most skilled and honest army officers, Azmi claimed he was dismissed from the force in 2009 without any allegations, probe and trial.
He told the tribunal he would highlight four matters -- his military experience and command structure and control, biography of Ghulam Azam, Bangladesh-India relations after the Liberation War and regional politics -- in his testimony.
The proceeding of the case was adjourned until today.
Earlier, prosecutor Syed Haidar Ali placed arguments in another war crimes case against Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee for the 10th session.
Meanwhile, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday rejected two petitions of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah regarding witnesses in the case.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir passed the order holding hearing on the two petitions of his defence.
On November 5, the tribunal allowed six defence witnesses to defend Quader Mollah in connection with the crimes against humanity committed during the War. Earlier, the defence submitted a list of 965 witnesses for the Jamaat assistant secretary general.
The defence on Sunday filed a petition for allowing 12 defence witnesses in the case instead of six.
The same day they filed another petition seeking permission to cross-examine four prosecution witnesses -- first, third, fourth and fifth -- in the case again.
Abdur Razzaq, chief of the defence of detained Jamaat leaders, moved the petition for Quader Mollah, while prosecutor Mohammad Ali opposed the petitions.
On May 28, the tribunal framed six charges against the Jamaat leader in connection with murders and mass killings committed during the War.
Meanwhile, the tribunal completed recording cross-examination of Abdus Samad Mondal, fifth prosecution witness in the case against former minister Abdul Alim. The tribunal adjourned the case until today when the sixth prosecution witness is set to testify.