Bangladesh´s war crimes court is set to deliver a verdict today against the leader of the largest Islamist party, who could face the death penalty for his alleged crimes during the 1971 independence struggle.
Motiur Rahman Nizami, 71, faces 16 charges ranging from mass killing to rape, arson and genocide, relating to violence committed by one of the most notorious militias during the war which he is suspected of leading. A death sentence could trigger violent protests in the country as Nizami´s Jamaat-e-Islami party has a strong grassroots base with hundreds of thousands of activists and supporters.
