Bangladesh Jails 657 Border Guards for Mutiny

A Bangladesh court has sentenced 657 border guards to up to seven years in prison for their involvement in a 2009 mutiny that left 74 people dead.A special court set up in the capital, Dhaka, to try the mutineers issued the verdicts Monday.  Officials say 108 guards were jailed for the maximum seven years, while the others received lesser sentences.More than 2,000 border guards are accused of crimes associated with the mutiny, including murder, looting and arson.In February of 2009, soldiers with the Bangladesh Rifles took control of their main barracks in the capital, stealing weapons and killing dozens of people, including senior army officers.  The mutineers say they revolted over long-standing demands concerning pay and working conditions.A special court has already convicted and sentenced more than 300 border guards for involvement in the mutiny. – Voanews