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SQ Chy's counsel threatens state lawyer in court

Staff Correspondent
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday witnessed an unprecedented exchange of words between the prosecution and the defence where a counsel for war crimes accused Salauddin Quader Chowdhury threatened to slit the throat of a state law officer.
Salauddin threatened the state counsels from the dock too. He said if he got out of jail, the prosecutors would know the consequences of their actions.
The Tribunal-1 yesterday fixed tomorrow for delivering orders on three petitions for retrial of cases against Ghulam Azam, Motiur Rahman Nizami and Delwar Hossain Sayedee.
Yesterday was scheduled for hearing four petitions of Salauddin, who is facing charges of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War.
During the hearing of three petitions, prosecution and defence lawyers shouted at each other.
In the morning session, Salauddin created commotion in the courtroom for which the tribunal decided not to have him present during the hearing. However, it later recalled its decision on verbal assurance of the defence.
In the afternoon session, the tribunal observed similar commotion when the defence was placing its argument for the contempt of court petition against Law Minister ShafiqueAhmed.
Defence lawyers' argument was based on the hacked Skype conversation between former Tribunal-1 chief Justice Md Nizamul Huq and an expatriate legal expert Ahmed Ziauddin that was published by a Bangla daily in December.
The defence argued that the law minister was a party to the "scandalous events” and "abused” the process of the tribunal.
The attorney general countered their claim saying that according to the alleged conversation, the law minister did not give any directive to anyone, rather somebody mentioned his name.
Before Attorney General Mahbubey Alam could go any further, Salauddin made some comments from the dock to which Assistant
Attorney General MA Kamrul Hasan Khan alias Aslam reacted and yelled “shut up” at Salauddin.
Enraged, Salauddin yelled “shut up” at Aslam.
Then all the prosecutors were on their feet and in one voice shouted "shut up” at Salauddin.
Aslam pointing his finger at Salauddin said “shut up razakar” a couple of times.
With a provocative body language Kazi Joynal Abedin, Salauddin's lawyer, then came forward and said, “You shut up Aslam. Won't you go outside? I'll slit your throat. You dare to ask Salauddin Quader to shut up?”
At this point, Salauddin said, “Let me get out of jail. You will see.”
The war crimes accused later apologised to the tribunal and claimed that he would not do such things in future if he was not provoked.
At the beginning of the second session, tribunal Chairman Justice ATM Fazle Kabir said Salauddin creates commotion, nuisance and shouts in the courtroom, therefore he would not be produced.
“He does not maintain decorum of the tribunal,” Justice Kabir said.
But the defence counsels continuously pleaded the tribunal to bring him in.
Justice Kabir then allowed him in.
In the morning session, Salauddin's counsel Fakhrul Islam in another petition asked the tribunal to clarify its independence beyond any doubt.
He asked the tribunal to clearly state whether during the period of the proceedings any member or the current chairman of the tribunal is or has been in direct or indirect contact with expatriate legal expert Ahmed Ziauddin, Raihan Rashid or any other people involved in the alleged Skype conversation.
Fakhrul also alleged that the chief justice and Justice SK
Sinha, a senior judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, was also “involved in the Skype scandal”.
Tribunal-1 chairman asked Fakhrul how he got the “guts” to seek explanation of the private lives of tribunal j udges through petitions.
The attorney general prayed the tribunal to bar the defence counsel and bring contempt of court proceedings against him.
Mahbubey Alam also said Fakhrul was trying to malign the trials and the judicial system.
All this while, Salauddin shouted and protested the attorney general's prayer while Fakhrul was continuing with his submission and bashing on the table furiously.
Salauddin in low voice and using a swear word said, “They [the prosecution] are maligning the trial.”
The tribunal chairman said, “Do you [the defence counsel] want us to give you a certificate in this regard [about tribunal judges]?”
Seemingly confused Fakhrul instead of giving any straight reply repeated his petition several times.
The Daily Star cannot print the defence submission as they have the contents of the alleged Skype conversation. The International Crimes Tribunal-2 has ordered not to publish or air the alleged conversation.
Salauddin said it was an innocent petition filed to keep the dignity of the tribunal and judges high.
Salauddin said, “For 33 years, I have been a lawmaker. You dispense justice. I make laws.”
Justice Kabir then again asked Fakhrul what order does he want from the tribunal with the petition. “Can you ask a judge whether he has any relations with anyone?”
The hearing of the petitions would continue tomorrow.