Dr Aafia gets 86 years

NEW YORK: Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a US-trained Pakistani neuroscientist convicted of trying to kill US agents and military officers in Afghanistan, was sentenced on Thursday to 86 years in prison after she called on Muslims to resist using violence and said she loves American soldiers.

Aafia Siddiqui, 38, was sentenced in US District Court in Manhattan by Judge Richard M Berman, who said “significant incarceration is appropriate”.

As the sentence was read out, a woman among about a dozen of Siddiqui’s supporters in court yelled, “Shame, shame on this court!” “Don’t get angry,” Siddiqui said in court to her supporters after the sentence was announced. “Forgive Judge Berman.”

Berman responded, saying, “I wish more defendants would feel the way that you do.”

The sentencing capped a strange legal odyssey that began two summers ago, when Siddiqui turned up in Afghanistan carrying evidence that – depending on the argument – proved she was either a terrorist or a lunatic.

In February, she was convicted of grabbing a rifle and trying to shoot US authorities in Afghanistan while yelling, “Death to Americans!” The conviction touched off protests in Pakistan that resumed on Thursday as hundreds chanted “Free Aafia!” at a rally in Karachi. Others demonstrated outside the Manhattan courthouse.

Prosecutors said she had picked up the rifle and opened fire on US servicemen and FBI representatives trying to take her into detention. She missed and in a struggle was herself shot by one of the US soldiers.

Defence lawyers argued there was no physical evidence, such as fingerprints or gunpowder traces, to show Siddiqui even grabbed the rifle.

During a rambling statement to the court on Thursday, Siddiqui carried only a message of peace.

“I do not want any bloodshed. I do not want any misunderstanding. I really want to make peace and end the wars,” she said.

Siddiqui said she was particularly upset by overseas reports that she was being tortured in a US prison. She said she was actually being treated well.

“I am not sad. I am not distressed... they are not torturing me,” she said. “This is a myth and lie and it’s being spread among the Muslims.”

Prosecutors said Siddiqui is a cold-blooded radical who deserves life in prison.

In court papers, they cited threatening notes that Siddiqui was carrying at the time of her detention. They directly quoted one as referencing “a ‘mass casualty attack’... NY CITY monuments: the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge”, and another musing how a dirty bomb would spread more fear than death. They claimed the notes, along with the fact that she was carrying sodium cyanide, showed she was not an accidental menace.

“Her conduct was not senseless or thoughtless,” prosecutors wrote. “It was deliberate and premeditated. Siddiqui should be punished accordingly.”

The defence had asked the judge for a sentence closer to 12 years behind bars. Her lawyers argued in court papers that their client’s outburst inside a cramped Afghan outpost was a spontaneous “freak out”, born of mental illness not militancy. agencies

Aafia Siddiqui & Children

Name: Aaifa Siddiqui
Nationality: Pakistani
Resident: USA/Pakistan
Married, three children, also missing
UPDATE: 8-3-08 FBI Admits Aafia in custody in Afghanistan

Aafia Siddiqui was born in Karachi, Pakistan, on March 2, 1972. She was one of three children of Mohammad Siddiqui, a doctor trained in England, and Ismet. She is a mother of three.

Aafia moved to Texas in 1990 to be near her brother, and after spending a year at the University of Houston, transferred to MIT. Aafia then married Mohammed Amjad Khan, a medical student, and subsequently entered Brandeis University as a graduate student in cognitive neuroscience.

Citing the difficulty of living as Muslims in the United States after 9/11, Aafia and her husband returned to Pakistan. They stayed in Pakistan for a short time, and then returned to the United States. They remained there until 2002, and then moved back to Pakistan.

Some problems developed in their marriage, and Aafia was eight months pregnant with their third child when she and Khan were estranged. She and the children stayed at her mother’s house, while Khan lived elsewhere in Karachi.

After giving birth to her son, Aafia stayed at her mother’s house for the rest of the year, returning to the US without her children around December 2002 to look for a job in the Baltimore area, where her sister had begun working at Sinai Hospital.

Soon after Pakistani authorities arrested Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Aafia and her children disappeared. A report in the Pakistani Urdu press said that Aafia and her children had been seen being picked up by Pakistani authorities and taken into custody.

According to Mrs. Siddiqui, Aafia left her mother’s house in Gulshan-e-Iqbal in a Metro-cab on March 30, to catch a flight for Rawalpindi, but never reached the airport. Inside sources claim that Aafia had been “picked-up” by intelligence agencies while on her way to the airport and initial reports suggest she was handed over to the FBI.

Aafia Siddiqui had been missing for more than a year when the FBI put her photographs on its website. The press was told that she was an Al Qaeda facilitator. After an FBI conference, a newspaper broke the story linking the woman involved in the 2001 diamond trade in Liberia to Aafia. The family’s attorney, Elaine Whitfield Sharp, says the allegation was a blessing in disguise because it places Siddiqui somewhere at a specific time. She says she can prove Siddiqui was in Boston that week.

She and her children have been missing since 2003. The FBI was given her name by Khalid Sheikh Mohammad under torture. At the time his family was also kidnapped, including his two young children. He knew that, and you can safely assume that they were used to coerce him. One year after her disappearance, the FBI posted her “FBI Seeking Information“.

And…..

(From an informative article at LeftTurn.org) I find that during the course of researching these detainees I begin to see patterns. It’s very very disturbing, because it points out just how far our government will go to support this “war on terror”. It’s beyond belief, The lies that have been manufactured are without a doubt, Orwellian.

As I read about her, I noticed that stories began to change. For instance, “Siddiqui’s professional field is alleged to be microbiology, she is alleged to be divorced from Mohammed Khan, or estranged from him, or he is simply referred to as her husband. Some statements have her obtaining her PhD from MIT, not Brandeis. Some attempt to portray her as a science and computer mastermind, based primarily on one 1996 article she wrote for the MIT Information Systems newsletter and the recurrent false statement that her PhD is in microbiology. Unfounded accusations appear and recede in the US media. They range from Siddiqui brokering a diamond deal in West Africa on behalf of Al Qaeda to her opening a Baltimore post office box for an Al-Qaeda member. Lately, however, there are few mentions of her, of whatever accuracy or motivation. Some renewed media attention in 2006 seems to have dwindled to silence.”

After she disappeared from Pakistan, her family was told not to make her disappearance an issue. (see “Strange Story Of Aafia Siddiqui” linked below)



They tried to contact a family member, then were put under house arrest. A family member flew in to Karachi to check on them. She found a lock on the door, and knocked, at first normally, then after getting no answer, knocked very loudly. When no one answered, the neighbors told her that they were inside, but haven’t been coming out for a long time. She flew back home three days later.

It seems to be that whatever information suits the case against her is the one that is used. There’s a lot out there, and much of it is hype. The stark contrast between what friends, family, and acquaintances is amazing. This is as plain as day,, especially if you’ve been following the detainee issue.

The below links will show you who Aaifa is. It isn’t up to each one of us to judge her, it is up to each one of us to see that she has her day in court. It’s also up to us to ask what happened to the children. The youngest child was only 9 months old! The oldest was 7. Aaifa’s family has not seen or heard from any of them. It is our job to write to our government and demand answers.

In September 2006, Bush announced that, with the transfer of 14 people from the CIA’s secret prison program to military custody in Guantanamo Bay, “There are now no terrorists in the CIA program.” What happened to the other people in CIA detention?

A Great Docter And Inocent Daughter

We have regularly covered Dr. Aafia case at Pro-Pakistan. We have highlighted the injustices done to her and her family by the Americans in a completely one sided trial. However, the current article is just another effort to share with our readers how this whole drama unfolded till date and how the media reported it. The reason we chose this day is because of the fact that today the American court is again holding another purported trial of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui. The irony is that the current case against her rest on a crime she committed after being arrested by the Americans in Afghanistan in 2008. Or at least that is how Americans put it while the reality is that she was arrested in 2003 by FBI agents in Karachi, Pakistan.

The arrest news was spread in the national and international media and here is just one instance of NBC5 quoting the story back in 2003. According to NBC5, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is in US custody:

U.S. intelligence officials are reportedly interrogating a Pakistani woman alleged to have moved funds and assisted with logistics planning for al-Qaida. FBI Seeking Siddiqui According to the Press Trust of India in an article published on its Web site Thursday, the woman has been identified as 31-year-old Aafia Siddiqui, who was being sought by U.S. officials last week along with two other men, including one whose last known address was in Miramar, Fla.

According to the PTI, Siddiqui was arrested in Karachi recently after returning from an overseas trip last month. The service quoted reports in the Boston Globe and Oklahama (TV) News Channel’s Web site.

The FBI had issued a worldwide alert for Siddiqui, already said this … ‘a housewife and mother of three who holds a doctorate in neurological science and degrees from Braindeis University and M.I.T. ) Siddiqui reportedly lived in Boston with her husband for several years.’

NBC News reported last week that senior U.S. officials that Siddiqui may be a so-called “fixer” for al-Qaida and not an actual member. According to those reports, Siddiqui may have been used by the organization move money and provide other logistical support. One official said, “The Intel indicates that she is tied to some very radical individuals in Pakistan.”

Now here is the problem, the American kept her under rigorous detention in Bagram jail (Afghan equivalent of Guantanamo Prison) and were not accepting her presence until the story was shared by ex inmates of the jail to the media. She was constantly tortured for 5 years and was sexually and physically abused each and every day for 5 consecutive years while the American put their best resources at work to find a single flaw in her past. Ironically, they failed to find a single wrong in her past and hence Americans were in a fix how to get rid of her.

The real problem started after the press conference in Pakistan by British journalist Yvonne Ridley in which she shared the story of the Prisoner 650, the gray Ghost lady of Bagram prison. In the mean while, we must keep this in mind that Western media left no stone unturned to label her the big catch of Al Qaeda in the hands of the Americans while Americans themselves couldn’t prove a single instance of her involvement in terrorist activities in their 5 years of non stop search for something (anything) to implicate her and save their face.

After Yvonne Ridley’s press conference, it became evident that Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is the unfortunate soul to bear the brunt of the worst kind of treatment in the modern history of the world. A well educated lady was made to suffer 5 years of non stop physical and sexual abuse at the hands of American military and intelligence officials.

The issue of Prisoner 650 became public and every media house in the world started giving it coverage and soon protesters came out on the roads in several Pakistani cities and in few Western countries for her release. The American intelligence agency, who failed to find any evidence against Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, however was quick to stage a stupid drama, that speaks volumes about their thinking patterns. Even hollywood movie writer would have done a better job then the drama script written by the American intelligence agencies. Here is how Dr. Aafia emerged again from the Bagram Prison in front of the World. This is the story some dumb ass American intelligent agent wrote (PS: US agent! please don’t mind my language but trust me your script sucks! At least try to watch 24 and come out with something better next time). And i am quoting direct American biased justice department source so that you know how they report such dramas on thir website to impress their own citizens.

According to website of the US Justice Department:

NEW YORK- Michael J. Garcia, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Mark J. Mershon, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (”FBI”), and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York, announced today the arrest of Aafia Siddiqui on charges related to her attempted murder and assault of United States officers and employees in Afghanistan. Siddiqui arrived in New York this evening and will be presented tomorrow before a United States Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

According to the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
On July 17, 2008, officers of the Ghazni Province Afghanistan National Police (”ANP”) observed Siddiqui outside the Ghazni governor’s compound. ANP officers questioned Siddiqui, regarded her as suspicious, and searched her handbag. In it, they found numerous documents describing the creation of explosives, as well as excerpts from the Anarchist’s Arsenal. Siddiqui’s papers included descriptions of various landmarks in the United States, including in New York City. Siddiqui was also in possession of substances that were sealed in bottles and glass jars.

On July 18, 2008, a party of United States personnel, including two FBI special agents, a United States Army Warrant Officer, a United States Army Captain, and United States military interpreters, arrived at the Afghan facility where Siddiqui was being held. The personnel entered a second floor meeting room — unaware that Siddiqui was being held there, unsecured, behind a curtain.

The Warrant Officer took a seat and placed his United States Army M-4 rifle on the floor next to the curtain. Shortly after the meeting began, the Captain heard a woman yell from the curtain and, when he turned, saw Siddiqui holding the Warrant Officer’s rifle and pointing it directly at the Captain. Siddiqui said, “May the blood of [unintelligible] be directly on your [unintelligible, possibly head or hands].” The interpreter seated closest to Siddiqui lunged at her and pushed the rifle away as Siddiqui pulled the trigger. Siddiqui fired at least two shots but no one was hit. The Warrant Officer returned fire with a 9 mm service pistol and fired approximately two rounds at Siddiqui’s torso, hitting her at least once.

Despite being shot, Siddiqui struggled with the officers when they tried to subdue her; she struck and kicked them while shouting in English that she wanted to kill Americans. After being subdued, Siddiqui temporarily lost consciousness. The agents and officers then rendered medical aid to Siddiqui. Can anyone imagine why someone Siddiqui, a 36-year-old Pakistani woman who previously resided in the United States, is charged in a criminal Complaint filed in the Southern District of New York with one count of attempting to kill United States officers and employees and one count of assaulting United States officers and employees. If convicted, Siddiqui faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each charge.

Just try to see a logic behind the purported story shared with the world by the Americans! What Dr. Aafia was doing outside Governor house? Trying to gather intelligence? Trying to blow it up? Trying to get herself arrested? Or just roaming around for a morning or evening walk? In any of the above cases, can you tell me why will she take with her the method of making bombs in her handbag? Was she sitting in some park where she was trying to prepare her lecture or was she trying to memorize some new techniques in the open? Or was she just keeping them in her bag to make sure when she is arrested, she provide enough evidence against her arrest to the government to use it against her?

Moreover, she was also carrying landmarks of American buildings etc etc etc! I wonder if anyone would really need landmarks in this modern era? Don’t you think we have a lot more public information available even to a primary kid on the internet and hence there is no need to carry it with you.

Moreover, why would she carry these things with her when she was roaming around Governor palace in Afghanistan? Was she on way to airport to land directly at JFK? Or was there not enough space in her home to keep that documents? A logical mind fail to see a relation in those two set of documents inside the bag of a lady strolling for morning walk in the peaceful and serene streets of war torn Afghanistan! Sounds interesting! Lets see what else she got? Okies! She got some SUBSTANCE (i repeat SUBSTANCE) that was sealed inside a jar and some bottles! Now this has further complicateed the already very tough case here! Can anyone of my reader guide us all here? Because i am lost here! What do you mean by “SUBSTANCE?” Is chocolate a substance or is cookies counted as substance? Do you also count sweets as Substance? If not then share with us what does “SUBSTANCE” stands for? And why would an evening or morning stroller keep these in her bag when she was actually on a picnic in the serene city of Afghanistan? May be she could use it to blow up the Governor’s palace? Or may be she could eat it? I don’t know but it is beyond my level of intellect and I need guidance from our readers since they might have a clue!

The irony is that Americans are trying to tell the world that their dumb story is based on facts while a mere search on internet will confirm our concerns about the real drama run by someone sitting in Langley or Pentagon. Here is how a famous Pakistani newspaper reported a story where an Intelligence Official admitted arresting Dr. Aafia in 2003 and handing her over to American FBI while the same FBI claims to have captured her in 2008 in Afghanistan. This is on the record of a Pakistani court and hence enjoys a legal status unlike Americans provided evidence that only exist in their own records and not to be shared with anyone in the world.

She was later shifted to America where she is facing court trial for a crime she never committed in America at first place. Even the American FBI and Intelligence officials failed to provide the evidence of her finger prints on the gun she supposedly used to shoot her investigators and the interpreters. Even no bullets were recovered from the room which she allegedly fired at the Americans. Here is a link to the details of the court hearing.

According to Yvonne Ridley, who first shared her story with the world, there is some senior ranking American intelligence official responsible for all the debacle since it was his authority to sign the papers authorising her kidnapping, rendition, five years of non stop torture and then keeping her in jail without sharing the details. Even the way she was reproduced is done on the orders of the same intelligence official who is sitting on the most important position in the American intelligence network. He is still using all his available resources to cover his tracks but i think now the thing has gone out and the decision rests with the American Judiciary. The trial of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui has gained tremendous support in USA itself and people from the length and breadth of America have come to the court to witness it despite the fact that the judge changed the dates constantly to create confusion and to bring down the case profile.

The case will be presented today at a US Court. According to the Dawn story.

The trial of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, the Pakistani neuroscientist under US detention, will begin today in New York City after jury selection was completed last week A JA jury of seven women and five men were chosen on Thursday, with four alternate jurors. Dr Aafia had earlier objected over the composition of the jury.

She is accused of trying to kill US Army officers — who were interrogating her in Afghanistan in July 2008, a charge vehemently denied by her.

No one was hit in the alleged shooting incident, but she was shot twice in the stomach.

Dr. Aafia has repeatedly said she will boycott her own trial and has even disowned the lawyers retained for her defence by the Pakistan government.

Meanwhile, the lead lawyer for Dr. Aafia said that her legal defence team will fight for her acquittal with a strong case it has built over the past four months.

Lets see how long this drama goes on and to what extent the American Intelligence official, backed by other powerful American politicians, goes to hide the crimes he committed against an innocent woman and her family. The outcome of the case is very important since the eyes of the world Muslim population and those who believe in the American justice system are fixed on this case as a benchmark.

Let’s see if Justice prevails in the Wild Wild West!