Life sentence for Bangladesh terror leaders

At least six JMB activists have been sentenced to life imprisonment for their role in planting bombs in Feni town on August 17 last year.

Six members of the outlawed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) have been sentenced to life imprisonment for their role in planting bombs in Feni town on August 17 last year.

HT Image

An estimated 500 explosions shook Bangladesh that day, prompting the government of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to launch a drive against Islamist militancy.

Another court in Dhaka sentenced JMB military commander Ataur Rahman Sunny and five others to three to 17 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for possessing firearms, ammunition and explosives, reported the Daily Star.

Following the verdict, Sunny and others began singing songs loudly and said they would not obey the verdict of the 'worldly' court.

Sunny is the brother of JMB chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman who, along with Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, was on February 9 convicted in a number of cases, including the killing of two judges in Jhalakathi town.

The others convicted are: AHM Shamim, 23, Zakaria alias Jewel, 21, Nur Azam Siddique alias Yeasir, 27, Belal Hossain alias Tamim, 21, and Akramul Islam, 23.

The court acquitted Aleya Ferdous, 27, wife of Nur Azam Siddique alias Yeasir, as the charge against her was not proved, the newspaper said.