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Prof Muntassir cross-examined for 2nd day

Staff Correspondent
Eminent historian Prof Muntassir Mamoon was cross-examined for the second day yesterday.
The prosecution witness told International Crimes Tribunal-1 that Ghulam Azam was a member of the Executive Committee formed by the peace committee in 1971.
Ghulam Azam's counsel Mizanul Islam asked Muntassir yesterday whether he knew that the peace committee had formed a 21 - member executive committee.
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"Right," the witness said.
In reply to another question, Prof Muntassir Mamoon said he was sure Ghulam Azam was on the executive committee but could not mention the names of other members without checking documents.
Prof Muntassir said he considered the Jamaat-e-Islami as a communal party and religious peddlers.
Prof Muntassir said this in reply to a question from a counsel for war crimes accused Ghulam Azam. He had asked him whether he considered the Jamaat as communal and fanatic.
Muntassir deposed as prosecution witness on Sunday in the war crimes case against Azam and the defence started its cross examination the same day.
Earlier on May 13, Ghulam Azam, who was the ameer (chief) of the East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) Jamaat-e-Islamiin 1971, was indicted on five charges based on 60 incidents of crimes against humanity during the LiberationWar.
Ghulam Azam's counsel Mizanul Islam asked Muntassir yesterday whether he knew that the Pakistan
government had cancelled the membership of many persons in the national assembly and announced by-elections in manyplacesastheyhadjoined thewarinl971.
Muntassir said byelections were held since there was no existence of the national assembly due to a cancellation of their membership.
In reply to another question, the Dhaka University academic said he did not know whether there was any by-election held in Mirpur [where he resided until March 29,1971].
The defence lawyer then asked him whether the Agartala Conspiracy Case was false.
"I couldn't say it," he replied.
Mizanul then asked him whether he knew there was a movement branding it [Agartala Conspiracy Case] asfalse.
Muntassir said it was true.
"These days, many say the charges in the case [Agartala Conspiracy Case] were true. The deputy speaker of the current parliament is one among many others. Do you know about it?" asked Mizanul.
They may have said that,
replied the historian.
In response to another question, Muntassir said he did not conduct any research on the Agartala Conspiracy Case.
He said he could not say without cross-checking documents whether the Jamaat or Ghulam Azam had made any statement opposing a handover of power to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman following the 1970 election and on Match 25, 1971.
The witness said, however, that the then chief of the Pakistan People's Party, (PPP) Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto had made statements opposing the sitting of the national assembly.
Mizanul questioned the witness as to whether no documents regarding conversations between Ghulam Azam and Bhutto or General Yahya Khan before Operation Searchlight in 1971 had been published.
Muntassir said he could not remember it.
The witness on his deposition on Sunday told the tribunal the first step of the leaders of the Jamaat and Muslim League, among other parties, was to meet Tikka Khan, the then gover-
nor of East Pakistan, in the first week of April 1971 when the Pakistani occupation forces were conducting mass killing and looting throughout the country.
The defence counsel told the witness there was no proof that any political persons other than those in the Awami League had held meetings with General Yahya and Lt GenTikka Khan.
Muntassir said though he had no such information, he could infer that there would not be any meeting on April 4,1971 if they had no previous communications.
"They could've made contact on April 4,1971 and hold the meeting," commented Mizanul, asking the witness whether he knew it.
The witness said he could not say anything about it.
"When was the peace committee formed?" asked the defence counsel
"Most probably on April 9 [in 1971]," replied Muntassir.
Ghulam Azam was present at the tribunal for about one hour. At the request of his lawyers, the tribunal permitted him to be taken backtojail.
The proceedings of the case were adjourned until