Caught in Arms Training
Only 6 out of 33 Islamic militants charged
Our Correspondent, Barisal
Barguna police on Wednesday submitted charge sheet against only six of the 33 alleged Islamic militants who were arrested while taking arms training on June 30, 2004 in Barguna Sadar upazila.The rest 27 were acquitted of the charges. Barguna police a week after the arrests filed an attempt to murder and extortion case against those 33 people. Court sources said Investigation Officer (IO) of the case Md Shahidul Islam, sub inspector of Barguna Sadar Police Station, submitted the charge sheet. He named Asadul Islam, Al Amin, Mustafa Hasan, Masum Billah, Abdur Rahman and Tanvir Ahmedas accused under sections 448, 342, 379 and 301 of CrPC. He also prayed for acquitting another 27 of the charges as no specific charge was found against them. Amal Krishna Mandal, first class magistrate of Barguna Sadar upazila court accepted the charge sheet against the six and acquitted all others. Waliul Islam, imam of Police Line Mosque and alleged coordinator of the Islamic extremists group, was among the acquitted. Court sources said during the hearing, the court inspector did not oppose the charge sheet that dropped charges against 27 of the 33 Islamic militants including all the major accused. Political pressure and interference appeared to have influenced the investigation, the sources added.
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