US embassy was 'in touch'

Officials of two intelligence agencies who were convicted in the 10-truck arms haul cases maintained close contacts with the US and Pakistan missions, Dubai-based Pakistani company ARY Group and leaders of the Indian separatist group Ulfa.
A Chittagong court in its full verdict on the sensational cases made the observation, citing confessional statements of the convicts. The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the judgment.
On January 30, Chittagong Metropolitan Special Tribunal-1 judge SM Mojibur Rahman handed down death penalty to 14, including the then ministers Motiur Rahman Nizami and Lutfozzaman Babar, in the smuggling case.
The tribunal said it was revealed from the confessional statement of former NSI director general Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim that in the third week of April 2004, the US embassy (in Dhaka) sent two of its representatives to the then NSI DG. The two strongly recommended that the then NSI director Wing Commander Shahab Uddin not be transferred from NSI to his original workplace in the air force.
Abdur Rahim also mentioned that on April 3, 2004, he went to the Prime Minister's Office and informed state minister for home Babar about Shahab Uddin's involvement in the smuggling of the arms. Rahim also requested Babar to remove Shahab from the NSI and send him to the air force, according to the verdict.
It stated that Shahab in his statement spoke about Abdur Rahim's trip with Paresh Barua to Dubai on the same flight in cooperation with the Pakistan High Commission (in Dhaka).  Rahim in his statement admitted that he flown to Dubai along with his wife following an invitation from the ARY Group.   
As the two statements are similar, there is no logical reason for mistrusting them, it added.
“It has become very clear that these high ranking army officials while on duty in two important agencies like the NSI and the DGFI maintained friendly relations with the Pakistan High Commission, ARY, the US Embassy and the Indian separatist organisation Ulfa leader Paresh Barua. For this reason, absconding accused Ulfa leader Paresh Barua while giving Tk 50 lakh to accused Hafizur Rahman said there is no need to worry about permission for the CUFL jetty as the chiefs of the DGFI and the NSI managed those,” the verdict says.
Referring to the confessional statement of Hafizur Rahman, the verdict said Paresh told Hafizur that NSI director Shahab Uddin was a powerful person and he would manage everything like the police, CUFL jetty, navy and coast guard.
It stated that NSI field officer Akbar Hossain in his confessional statement mentioned that Shahab was in close contact with Hawa Bhaban.
For these reasons, Paresh with confidence assured Hafiz that the NSI and DGFI men, including Shahab, would take necessary steps for bringing the arms and ammunition.
The accused in their statements held each other responsible, but their confessions still corroborates, the verdict said.
The tribunal differed with the defence lawyers that the confessional statements were gleaned by torturing the accused physically and mentally.
“The accused, especially the NSI and DGFI officials, were senior to the investigation officer of the cases. Moreover, some accused like Babar, Nizami and DGFI director Maj Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury did not give any confessional statement. NSI deputy director Major (retd) Liakat Hossain also did not give such statement though he agreed earlier,” the tribunal said.