Islamist leader is sentenced to death

Matiur Rahman Nizami || Al Jazeera

A Bangladeshi court has sentenced Matiur Rahman Nizami, the leader of the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party, and 13 others to death for arms smuggling.Thursday's sentencing in front of a full courtroom comes just weeks after Bangladesh held general elections that were marred by violence.Defence lawyer Kamrul Islam Sazzad said those sentenced would appeal. "The verdict is nothing but political harassment. Justice was not done to my clients," he said.

Jamaat-e-Islami is part of an anti-government coalition under former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia that has been calling on the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and boycotted the January elections, which Hasina's coalition won amid street fighting, a boycott and low turnout.Paresh Barua, a former Indian rebel commander, was also convicted in absentia and also received the death penalty. Others included a former deputy interior minister, Lutfozzaman Babar, and a former director general of the National Security Intelligence, retired Major General Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury.

The sentences were handed down by Chittagong Metropolitan Special Tribunal judge SM Mojibur Rahman, who told the court in his verdict that it was one of the country's most sensational and important cases, state prosecutor Kamal Uddin told reporters. The case goes back to 2004, when police seized 10 truck-loads of weapons in a raid on a state-owned jetty in the southeastern port city of Chittagong, when they were being unloaded from fishing boats..click here for more brief

Comments

Imam Shamshad Visits Two Inland Empire Mayors

Imam Shamshad’s mission is to inform the citizens of Southern California in general — and its religious and civic leaders in particular — about the true teachings of Islam and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s Baitul Hameed Mosque on Ramona Ave. in Chino is celebrating its 25th anniversary in July, and its Imam, Shamshad A. Nasir, is on a mission — a public relations mission that’s been on-going since the mosque was built and which he has continued since being stationed at the Chino Mosque as the worldwide Ahmadiyya Community’s southwest regional missionary in the U.S More Brief

After Retiring from Ministry in 2010, Pastor Dennis Leonard Is Back and Will Open Heritage Christian Center Church in Colorado

Bishop Dennis Leonard preaches the prosperity gospel during a Sunday morning worship service at the Heritage Christian Center in Denver in 2006|| BCCN1 Dennis Leonard built Heritage Christian Center into a flourishing multiracial church by connecting with hurting people.From the pulpit, the preacher mined his past life frequenting nightclubs and recovering from divorce. Members volunteered at a church food bank and fed the homeless. The choir was top-notch. Leonard also preached a gospel of prosperity suggesting a bountiful return for those who gave generously to the church — that has been criticized for preying on the vulnerable.Then he walked away, retiring in 2010 and moving to California. Leonard is about to embark on a second act in Colorado, announcing plans to open a Heritage Christian Center in Aurora with a 1,500-seat sanctuary in a former sporting goods store the church bought.“I want you to know we are coming back for you,” Leonard said during a Friday night guest appear...

Osun gov, Omisore worship together at Catholic pilgrimage centre

Nigeria Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola and his main challenger in the August governorship election, Senator Iyiola Omisore, weekend, despite their political differences worshiped together at the annual Oke-Maria Pilgrimage, at Otan-Ayegbaju, Boluwaduro Local Government Area of the state. The Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan and Apostolic Administrator of Osogbo Catholic Diocese of Osogbo, Most Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin had announced the likely attendance of the duo around 10.00pm on Saturday , urging devotees at the 'Maria Shrine' (prayer mountain), to shelve their political differences.. more brief

Religious Broadcast

Search This Blog