Mufti Hannan gets death for attempt on UK envoy's life

Harkatul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) operations commander Mufti Abdul Hannan Munshi and two other militants were sentenced to death on Tuesday for the 2004 grenade attack on former British high commissioner Anwar Choudhury in Sylhet.

Judge Shamim Md Afzal, of Sylhet divisional speedy trial tribunal, also sentenced two others found guilty to life terms, special public prosecutor Fakhruddin Ahmad told bdnews24.com.

Three policemen were killed and over 50 were injured, including Choudhury, in the grenade attack on May 21 2004 that was judged to be an attempt on the high commissioner's life as he was visiting the shrine of Shah Jalal in the northeastern city.

After the verdict was handed down on Tuesday, Mufti Hannan said, "The verdict was unjust. We will prove ourselves innocent with appeals to the higher court."

The two other sentenced to death are Sharif Shahedul Bipul and Delwar Hossain Ripon.

The two life-term convicts are militant leader Mufti Mainuddin alias Abu Zandal alias Khwaza and Mofizur Rahman Ovi, the brother of Mufti Hannan..

Tight security measures were taken in and outside the court premises since morning. Police made body and baggage searches at all entrances.

The accused were taken to the court from Sylhet Central Jail at around 2:17pm and the verdict was delivered at 3:30pm.

Case details

The investigation officer of the case Criminal Investigation Department's then additional superintendent of police Munshi Atiqur Rahman found HuJI's involvement in the grenade attack.

HuJI Sylhet region organiser Bipul and militant leader Ripon were arrested on Sept. 4, 2006 from Sylhet.

Both confessed to their involvement in the court.

Atiqur Rahman pressed charges in the much-talked-about case on Jul. 29, 2007 with the court, accusing four of the convicts.

On March 11, 2007, another supplementary chargesheet was pressed with the court that included the name of Abu Zandal as accused.

The date of the delivering verdict was scheduled for Tuesday on Dec 18.

Attack on Anwar Choudhury

Anwar Chowdhury came under the grenade attack just five days after his joining as British high commissioner to Dhaka.

A Bangladeshi-born British diplomat, among the most active in the diplomatic circle, Choudhury joined the Dhaka mission on May 15, 2004.

He was born in Prabhakor village under Jagannathpur Upazila in Sunamganj district.

He left Dhaka on May 17 this year.

Another case involving the grenade attack on Choudhury has been stayed on High Court orders.