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| Bangladesh hangs Mujib killers | Bangladesh hangs Mujib killers |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Bangladesh has executed five ex-army officers convicted of killing the country's independence leader in 1975. | Bangladesh has executed five ex-army officers convicted of killing the country's independence leader in 1975. |
| The men killed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the president's wife, three sons, two daughters-in-law and approximately 20 others as part of a military coup. | The men killed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the president's wife, three sons, two daughters-in-law and approximately 20 others as part of a military coup. |
| Only hours earlier the Bangladeshi law minister had announced that they would be executed by Sunday but could be "hanged at any moment". | Only hours earlier the Bangladeshi law minister had announced that they would be executed by Sunday but could be "hanged at any moment". |
| The five were executed on Wednesday in the Dhaka prison where they were held. | The five were executed on Wednesday in the Dhaka prison where they were held. |
| The men did not deny their role in the death of Mr Rahman, but had said they should be tried in a military rather than a civilian court. | The men did not deny their role in the death of Mr Rahman, but had said they should be tried in a military rather than a civilian court. |
| The Supreme Court had dismissed their appeals to commute the sentence, paving the way for a date to be set for execution, AFP reported earlier. | The Supreme Court had dismissed their appeals to commute the sentence, paving the way for a date to be set for execution, AFP reported earlier. |
| Mr Rahman was killed in 1975, just four years after leading Bangladesh to independence from Pakistan. | Mr Rahman was killed in 1975, just four years after leading Bangladesh to independence from Pakistan. |
| SHEIKH MUJIBUR KILLING March 1971: Sheikh Mujibur announces breakaway from East Pakistan and establishment of BangladeshAugust 1975: Sheikh Mujibur is killed in a coupNovember 1998: Dhaka court orders execution of 15 for his killing. Three later acquittedOct 2001: Trial halts after Khaleda Zia elected prime ministerAugust 2007: Sheikh Mujibur's murder case resumesNovember 2009: Supreme Court rejects appeals by five ex-army officers accused of killingJanuary 2010: Supreme Court dismisses five ex-army officers' final appeals | SHEIKH MUJIBUR KILLING March 1971: Sheikh Mujibur announces breakaway from East Pakistan and establishment of BangladeshAugust 1975: Sheikh Mujibur is killed in a coupNovember 1998: Dhaka court orders execution of 15 for his killing. Three later acquittedOct 2001: Trial halts after Khaleda Zia elected prime ministerAugust 2007: Sheikh Mujibur's murder case resumesNovember 2009: Supreme Court rejects appeals by five ex-army officers accused of killingJanuary 2010: Supreme Court dismisses five ex-army officers' final appeals |
| Six fellow plotters, on the run abroad, have also been sentenced to death. A seventh man also found guilty in absentia is thought to have died abroad. | Six fellow plotters, on the run abroad, have also been sentenced to death. A seventh man also found guilty in absentia is thought to have died abroad. |
| The government the majors helped install passed a law indemnifying their actions and until 1998 they were free men. | The government the majors helped install passed a law indemnifying their actions and until 1998 they were free men. |
| But by then Sheikh Hasina, Mr Rahman's daughter, had herself become prime minister and the accused were put on trial, found guilty and sentenced to death. | But by then Sheikh Hasina, Mr Rahman's daughter, had herself become prime minister and the accused were put on trial, found guilty and sentenced to death. |
| She lost the following elections, and the next government, led by the party which ultimately benefited from the coup, slowed the process down. | She lost the following elections, and the next government, led by the party which ultimately benefited from the coup, slowed the process down. |
| But Sheikh Hasina returned to power a year ago, and made the conclusion of the trial one of her top priorities. |