Dhaka, Dec 13 (IANS)

Jamaat-e-Islami party leader Abdul Quader Mollah's execution Thursday for crimes against humanity in 1971 - the first death penalty to a war criminal in the country, was welcomed by various sections while his family continued to maintain he was innocent.

In an immediate reaction after Mollah was hanged, his younger brother Molla Mainuddin Ahmed said all that the Almighty does is always for the best. "He will be the judge of it."

Mohammad Ali, conducting prosecutor at the tribunal, said: "In light of the pro-liberation spirit and the values of 1971, I am the happiest person in the world, as well as the conducting prosecutor in this case."

Defence counsel Tajul Islam said: "I have nothing to say about it. The people of the world have spoken on it. I believe Quader Molla was innocent. History will judge this."

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said: "Rule of law has been established through this execution."

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor A.A.M.S. Arefin Siddique said the people were waiting for this.

"This execution finally fulfils their expectations. I hope other war criminals will also be executed through expedited trials."

Additional Attorney General and a coordinator tribunal's prosecution team, MK Rahman said justice had been established after 42 years. "We have finally been able to absolve ourselves from guilt."

Mollah was executed at 10.01 p.m. Thursday, hours after the country's highest court dismissed his petition to review his death sentence.

Following Thursday's verdict, family members of Mollah went to the Dhaka Central Jail in the evening to meet him. They included Mollah's elder son Hasan Jamil, two children, five women, and a youth, who could not be immediately identified.

The Jamaat assistant secretary general's hanging came three days before nation celebrates the 42nd Victory Day, which commemorates Bangladesh's triumph in the nine-month bloody war against the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971, bdnews24.com reported.

Mollah had refused to seek presidential clemency following the Supreme Court's rejection of a review petition of his death sentence Thursday. He was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity in the 1971 Liberation War.