Bangladesh: 7 get death penalty in 2016 cafe attack

DHAKA, Bangladesh

A special court in Bangladesh on Wednesday sentenced seven people to death for their involvement in the 2016 terror attack at a cafe in the capital Dhaka, which left 22 people dead.

"An allegation of involvement in the 2016 terrorist attack against those seven people has undoubtedly been proven and court has served justice,” public prosecutor Abdullah Abu told reporters after the verdict was announced.

On July 1, 2016, an armed militant group stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery in the upscale Gulshan district of Dhaka, killing 22 people -- including 17 foreign nationals and two police officers.

In July last year, police’s counter-terrorism unit had submitted to the Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal a charge sheet against eight members of banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh.

The court's Judge Md Majibur Rahman ordered death penalties for seven suspects and acquitted one.

Ahead of the verdict, tight security measures were taken in the court area as well as in the entire city.

After the announcement of the verdict, the convicts shouted at the packed courtroom and claimed they are innocent.

Advocate Delwar Hossain, one of the lawyers of the convicts, told journalists they would challenge the judgment in the higher court after receiving copy of the complete judgement.