DHAKA, Bangladesh, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Salauddin Quader Chowdhury was found guilty of crimes against humanity in Bangladesh's war for independence and will be hanged, a tribunal ruled Tuesday.
Chowdhury, 64, is the first sitting member of Parliament and a key political figure convicted of crimes that rocked Raozan, Boalkhali, Hathazari and Chittagong City during the 1971 war and beyond, BDNews24.com reported.
Among the charges, he was accused of running a torture cell with his father, Muslim League leader Fazlul Quader Chowdhury, inside their house. He also was charged with complicity to terrorize people and politicians by collaborating with the Pakistanis, forcing millions more to flee to India to escape.
The defense team said it would appeal the verdict and sentence.
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 Chairman Justice ATM Fazle Kabir delivered the decision to a packed courtroom, BDNews.com said. Chowdhury was found guilty for many counts in the multiple-count indictment and innocent of other counts in the true bill.
"We are of the unanimous view that the accused deserves the highest punishment for committing such crimes that [troubled] the collective conscience of mankind," he said.
The judge said Chowdhury would "hang until death" weeks after anonymous calls threatening retribution if he were sentenced to death.
War crimes tribunals of Bangladesh have convicted six former and current leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami.
