An eyewitness yesterday testified that he had seen war crimes accused Motiur Rahman Nizami along with local collaborators having a meeting with Pakistani occupation force before his father's murder during the Liberation War.

"I saw Nizami, Sobhan, Ishaq Moulana, Khodabakhs and the Pakistani army having a discussion. Some people went to the mosque [Iswardi Central Mosque] and dragged out my father [martyr Moazzem Hossain], They stabbed my father with sword and knife near the coal depot," said the witness in tears.

Tohurul Alam Mollah, 62, told the International Crimes Tribunal-1, "Allahu Akbar was the last utterance of my father. These words still haunt me."

The tribunal led by Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim with member Justice Anwarul Haque had given the witness a break before he completed his testimony.

With his father, his cousin and maternal uncle, who were also killed on April 17,1971, had taken shelter at the mosque thinking it a safer place, the witness said.

Tohurul added he along with a friend had witnessed the incident hiding in a nearby bush. "I tried to run to my father. But my friend (Fazlur Rahman] held me tight and did not let me to go," said the witness.

Tohurul said he had later

gone to India to receive warfare training and taken part in different operations in Pabna.

Near the mosque where his father was killed there was an abandoned house where Bangalees were tortured, he added.

The witness said during the war he was a first year student of the then Jinnah College, now Iswardi College, and was assistant general secretary of Chhatra League, student wing of Awami League.

The Awami League, Jamaat-e-Islami and Nezam-e-Islam contested the 70's general election in Pabna.

"In an election rally, I heard an announcement that Islami Chhatra Sangha president Motiur Rahman Nizami would deliver speech," the witness said.

He added they had taken

preparation for independ-ence war after Bangabandhu's March 7 address.

Defence counsel Tajul Islam asked the witness if he had filed any case in connection with his father's killing or brought any accusation against Nizami.

The witness said, "No."

Earlier, the defence completed cross-examining the 19th prosecution witness in the case.

The defence have meanwhile filed a petition with the tribunal seeking discharge of ATM Azharul Islam from the war crimes charges.

The tribunal fixed September 18 for hearing the petition. Earlier, the prosecution placed submission for indicting Azharul for his alleged crimes against humanity committed during the war.