How brutal!

War criminal Abdus Subhan had borne the identity of an Islamist party during the Liberation War. 
Yet not even the house of Allah could rouse any mercy or humanity in him when he, a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, had killed civilians having dragged them out of a mosque in Ishwardi in 1971.
"In respect of the event of killing civilians [Charge No.1] dragging them out of the Ishwardi central mosque, he and his accomplices are found to have caused their horrendous death by inflicting indiscriminate sword blows. What a brutality! It is hard to believe indeed that the accused was a man of slightest humanity and kindness," the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) -2 yesterday observed in its verdict on Abdus Subhan.
The tribunal's observation referred to Charge No.1 against him for the killing of 20 unarmed civilians who had taken shelter inside a mosque in April 1971.
Describing the crimes Subhan committed, the tribunal yesterday termed Jamaat-e-Islami a "criminal organisation". Earlier, ICT-1 had termed Jamaat a "criminal organisation" twice while delivering verdicts on other war criminals.
Subhan was then acting ameer of Pabna district unit of Jamaat in 1971.
The tribunal noted that instead of upholding the spirit and philosophy of Islam, Subhan rather dumped it and became a man of extreme notoriety in Pabna by aiding, abetting and assisting the Pakistani Army in committing acts of large-scale killing and destruction.
"The accused's role thus impels the conclusion that Jamaat to which the accused Subhan belonged was a 'criminal organisation'," read Justice Obaidul Hassan, chairman of ICT-2, from the summary of a 165-page judgment.
Earlier in several judgments, both the tribunals made similar observations about Jamaat's abuse of religion in committing heinous crimes in 1971.
The judgment against Subhan also read, "The holy religion Islam encourages to practice the value of faith, integrity, self-discipline, self-restraint, loving-kindness and it also encourages and teaches human beings to refrain from sinful acts and live life in moderation.
"But we have found it proved that the accused Moulana Abdus Subhan knowingly participated and encouraged and induced the principal perpetrators in committing the horrendous sinful acts. The accused's attitude and role that he had in 1971 did not go with the philosophy and spirit of true Islam. 
"In disguise of the spirit of Islamic leadership, accused Moulana Abdus Subhan remained culpably closer to the Pakistani occupation army, Razakar force which were engaged to wipe out the pro-liberation Bengali civilians, in furtherance of policy and plan."
Subhan was so hell-bent on carrying out the plan and policy of his party that not even the cries of fellow humans affected him, observed the tribunal. 
"The accused was extremely hostile to the victims, the pro-liberation civilians and he did not respond to the appeal and feeble cries of P.W.7 Jahanara Begum, the wife of Rajab Ali, one of the victims of village Shahpur…," it said.  
Prosecution witness Jahanara in her testimony narrated how Subhan led the Pakistan Army to her house and how he identified her husband Rajab Ali Biswas, a local Awami League activist, and had him shot to death. 
Even her appeals and cries to spare her husband's life had fallen on deaf ears. Subhan, in fact, had kicked her aside when she fell to his feet.
"What ideology had imbued the accused Moulana Abdus Sobhan in being so cruel and pitiless? Did it reflect the quality of any 'Islamist leader'?" the verdict read.

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