Ctg Arms Haul Case
NSI failed to give advance info
Court told
The National Security Intelligence (NSI) failed to provide advance information regarding 10-truck arms haul in 2004, Assistant Director of NSI Mohammad Ali Chowdhury told a Chittagong court yesterday.
But higher authorities of the NSI did not seek any explanation from the agency's Chittagong office and took no punitive action for the failure. The NSI also did not form any probe body to investigate the failure, said Mohammad Ali who was posted at NSI Chittagong office as an assistant director during the seizure of the arms.
Ali, now posted at NSI Dhaka as an assistant director, was submitting his deposition as the ninth prosecution witness in both arms and smuggling cases in connection with the sensational weapons haul.
Judge of Chittagong Metropolitan Special Tribunal-1 SM Mojibur Rahman recorded the 20-minute deposition.
According to court sources, Ali said in his deposition that the then deputy director (DD) of NSI Chittagong office Jahir Shah informed him about the arms haul on April 2 morning over the telephone.
The DD sent field staffs to the spot for collecting information and sent a primary report to the NSI headquarter, Ali stated.
“We failed to provide advance information regarding the arms smuggling. But the higher authorities did not seek any explanation from us or did not take any punitive action for the failure. The NSI also did not conduct any investigation into the smuggling,” sources in the court quoted Ali as saying.
Later, defence lawyers of two accused -- former NSI director general (DG) Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim, and former NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan -- cross examined Ali.
Earlier in the day, former chief of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Chittagong office, Col (retd) AKM Rezaur Rahman, was cross examined.
All the eleven arrested accused including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami were produced before the court.
Lawyers of two accused -- Babar and former director of DGFI Counter Intelligence Bureau Brig Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury -- cross examined Rezaur. Rezaur submitted his deposition as the 8th prosecution witness in the cases on April 18.
The court will record depositions of few more prosecution witnesses today.
The incident of hauling 10-truck load of arms and ammunition took place at the night of April 1, 2004 at Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL) jetty.
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