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Three to die for UK envoy attack | Three to die for UK envoy attack |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A court in north-east Bangladesh has sentenced three men to death for a 2004 grenade attack that killed three people and wounded a British diplomat. | A court in north-east Bangladesh has sentenced three men to death for a 2004 grenade attack that killed three people and wounded a British diplomat. |
Prosecutors said the men were all members of the banned Islamic militant group Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (Huji). | Prosecutors said the men were all members of the banned Islamic militant group Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (Huji). |
Two others were given life terms by the court in the city of Sylhet. | Two others were given life terms by the court in the city of Sylhet. |
British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury was visiting a shrine in the city when the grenade was thrown at him. More than 50 others were hurt. | |
A British High Commission spokesman in Bangladesh welcomed the completion of the case, but opposed the use of the death penalty | A British High Commission spokesman in Bangladesh welcomed the completion of the case, but opposed the use of the death penalty |
Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami is one of several banned armed groups seeking to establish hardline Islamic rule in Bangladesh. | Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami is one of several banned armed groups seeking to establish hardline Islamic rule in Bangladesh. |
'Afghan veteran' | 'Afghan veteran' |
One of those sentenced to death was Mufti Abdul Hannan, who is alleged to be the Huji leader. | |
Justice has not been delivered and we will appeal these verdicts to a higher court Mufti Hannan | |
His brother and another man were also sentenced to be hanged. All three were convicted of charges of murder and use of explosives. | |
"The judge has said the charges against five [have] been proved beyond doubt. He sentenced three militants, including Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami leader Mufti Abdul Hannan, to be hanged," police inspector Abdul Ahad Chowdhury said, AFP news agency reports. | "The judge has said the charges against five [have] been proved beyond doubt. He sentenced three militants, including Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami leader Mufti Abdul Hannan, to be hanged," police inspector Abdul Ahad Chowdhury said, AFP news agency reports. |
Defence lawyers said they planned to appeal. | Defence lawyers said they planned to appeal. |
"Justice has not been delivered," Mufti Hannan told AFP. The agency described him as "visibly shocked". | |
Anwar Choudhury is a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin whose family come from the Sylhet area. | Anwar Choudhury is a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin whose family come from the Sylhet area. |
The 21 May 2004 explosion occurred only weeks after he took up his posting as he made his first visit to his ancestral home. | The 21 May 2004 explosion occurred only weeks after he took up his posting as he made his first visit to his ancestral home. |
Mufti Hannan is believed to be a veteran of the war against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s and 1990s. | Mufti Hannan is believed to be a veteran of the war against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s and 1990s. |
Police at the time said the attack was "to avenge the deaths of Muslims in Iraq and across the world by America and Britain". | |
Mufti Hannan is also charged with planning a grenade attack targeting Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina, which killed 23 people on 21 August 2004. | |
Bangladesh experienced a series of bomb attacks in 2004 and 2005 which were blamed on Islamist militant groups as part of their campaign to force Sharia law in the mainly Muslim country. | Bangladesh experienced a series of bomb attacks in 2004 and 2005 which were blamed on Islamist militant groups as part of their campaign to force Sharia law in the mainly Muslim country. |
The violence eased after the heads of two powerful militant groups were arrested and executed. | The violence eased after the heads of two powerful militant groups were arrested and executed. |