Crimes against humanity
Letter sent to NCB seeking Interpol ‘red notice’ for former army chief Aziz
A letter has been sent seeking the issuance of an ‘Interpol red notice’ to arrest former army chief General Aziz Ahmed, an accused in a case involving crimes against humanity.
The letter was sent to the National Central Bureau (NCB) of Bangladesh Police by the Office of the Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal. Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam told journalists this today, Tuesday.
The NCB is the central liaison and coordinating agency between Interpol and each of its member countries. The NCB is based at Bangladesh Police Headquarters. It works to exchange information on international criminals and fugitives and facilitate their arrest.
Speaking at his office, the chief prosecutor said they had learnt that Aziz Ahmed was in the United States. After confirming the information, they sent a letter to the NCB on Monday seeking the issuance of a ‘red notice’.
When asked whether the NCB had sent the letter to Interpol, the chief prosecutor said, “I cannot say that. We sent it yesterday (Monday). We have submitted it and that means they will forward it.”
Aziz Ahmed is one of 41 accused in the crimes-against-humanity case filed over the killings surrounding the Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel, Dhaka, on 5 May 2013. Eleven of the accused in the case have been arrested. Aziz Ahmed is among the remaining accused who have not been arrested.
The chief prosecutor told journalists that they had sent the letter to the NCB so that Aziz Ahmed could be arrested with the help of Interpol through the issuance of a red notice and brought back to Bangladesh. The NCB will take the necessary steps in this regard.
The chief prosecutor noted that the letter sent yesterday concerned only Aziz Ahmed. He said they had been able to confirm that Aziz Ahmed was in the United States. That was why the letter was issued only in his case. If they are able to confirm the whereabouts of the other accused in the case, similar letters will be sent regarding them as well.