I have come acrossed this article,am still bewildered.Allah knows the truth.

FEAR VS FACT IN AAFIA SIDDIQUE CASE:

Posted on 05 February 2010 by Pramilla Srivastava


No issue has evoked such impassioned and divergent opinions than the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman who was found guilty on 7 counts of attempted murder and assault of U.S. Nationals by a 12 member jury in a federal court in New York City this week.

With allegations of being an Al-Qaeda operative headlining nearly every report in the American media and allegations that she was held in a secret prison and tortured for the 5 years before her capture dominating reports in the Pakistani media, the only way to get close to a “common sense” perspective is to take a look at what we actually do know and don’t know about this case.

We do know that in March of 2003 Aafia Siddiqui was a mother of 3 children who disappeared in Karachi, Pakistan as she was on her way to the airport, along with her three children.

We do know that in 2003 the children were Suleman under-6 months, Maryam-Age 3, and Ahmed-Age 7

We do know that in March 2003 she was named by the FBI as a “person of interest”.

We do know that early in March 2003 Khalid Sheik Mohammed was captured by Pakistanis, turned over to Americans, and interrogated in which he named Aafia Siddiqui as an Al Qaeda “fixer”

We do know that Khalid Sheik Mohammed was water boarded almost 100 times during his interrogation.

We do know that a little later in March 2003 Aafia Siddiqui’s ex-husband, Amjad Khan, was questioned by FBI officials and released.

We do know that at the time the couple had gone through a bitter divorce.

We do know that in 2002 Aafia Siddiqui’s husband, Amjad Khan, was questioned by the FBI for purchasing “night vision goggles” and “military manuals” over the internet and that Aafia was questioned incidentally as his wife.

We do know that Amjad Khan admitted to purchasing the equipment but said that it was for big gaming hunting for a relative and was not detained by the FBI.

We do know that the couple were having marital problems at the time which included allegations of domestic abuse.

We do know that the Siddiqui’s familiy’s claims that Aafia was a victim of domestic abuse was corroborated by friends and colleagues of Siddiqui from Brandeis

We do know that in April and May 2003 there were reports in the American media that Dr. Siddiqui was being “detained” for questioning by Pakistani authorities regarding her alleged ties to Al-Qaeda. “U.S. intelligence officials are reportedly interrogating a Pakistani woman alleged to have moved funds and assisted with logistics planning for al-Qaeda.” The NBC report makes clear that she is “not considered a member of Al-Qaeda” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xwCHha5ITM

http://web.archive.org/web/200704161...3/19137-1.html

We do know that she was considered a “person of interest” by the FBI in 2003 and wanted for questioning.

We do know that there were reports in 2003 in some Pakistani newspapers as well, that Siddiqui and her children were picked up by both Pakistani and American intelligence.

We do know that in 2004 the FBI gave a press conference in which they labeled her as one of seven most wanted “terrorist”. At that time they denied having her in their custody.

We do know that shortly after that press conference in 2004 numerous media reports accused Siddiqui of transferring diamonds to Liberia for Al Qaeda in mid June 2001, 3 months before 9/11

We do know, however, that in mid-June 2001 Aafia Siddiqui was with her husband and kids in Boston running a play group.

We do know that in 2005 former detainees at Bagram began alleging that there was a female prisoner being held at the prison who was from Pakistan.

We do know that the U.S. Government at the time denied having any women at Bagram.

We do know that in 2006 Amnesty International Reported Aafia Siddiqui as a “missing person” believed to be in U.S. Custody.

We do know that in 2007 Human Rights Watch named Aafia Siddiqui as a “missing person” possibly held in U.S. custody.

We do know that in June 2008 journalist, Yvonne Ridley, alleged that Aafia Siddiqui was prisoner 650 held for the past 5 years at a Secret Prison in Bagram

We do know that shortly after Ridley’s report in June 2008 Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the ICRC began demanding the U.S. for access to prisoner 650.

We do know that the following month in July 2008, 5 years after her initial disappearance, Aafia Siddiqui was seen on TV at a press conference in Ghazni Afghanistan with only her oldest son, in which it was reported that she was found with a terrorist’s handbag.

We do know that the handbag she was found with contained fantastically incriminating evidence including plans for “mass casualty” attacks and “how to make a dirty bomb”, along with pictures of New York Landmarks.

We do know that the next day she was shot in the abdomen by U.S. Soldiers.

We do know that when she disappeared she was a slightly heavy woman.

We do know that when she was shown in the press conference she was substantially thinner than when she disappeared.

We do know that in her arrest photograph taken by the Afghan National Police she looked beaten. Her nose was altered and her teeth were missing.

We do not know why she was considered a “person of interest” by the FBI; why she was labeled a “wanted terrorist”; or why she was alleged to be a “Al Qaeda facilitator”, by the FBI

We do know that the U.S. Government did not prosecute her with attempting to commit acts of terrorism or any connections to Al Qaeda or the Taliban.

We do know that the U.S. government has chosen to keep crucial information about her case classified.

We do not know where the two younger missing children are.

We do know that during the trial all the New York newspapers had nearly daily headlines labeling Siddiqui a member of Al-Qaeda.

We do know that FBI officials and ISI officials had been meeting with reporters privately to allege that she was an a member of Al-Qaeda but they could charge her without “compromising their sources”.

We do know that this jury was not sequestered.

We do know that airport style security was ordered outside the courtroom because of possible threats from the gallery.

We do know that this was unprecedented in judicial proceedings.

If we try to analyze the whole episode, it is evident that Dr. Afia is punished because she is a Muslim.

Look at the charge on which the sentence is given:

"To assault with intent to murder her U.S. interrogators in Afghanistan"

Think how its possible for a armless bounded woman; who is under interrogation; to snatch the gun from a well trained soldier. Could any sensible person believe this. I read the comments of many members here, their comments simply pathetic.

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“There is no God but You (Allah Almighty), You are far exalted and above all weaknesses, and I was indeed the wrongdoer”. AL-QURAN

What USA will get to convict a muslim lady if she is not guilty?

This question compels me to ponder.

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When you try, you risk failure. When you don’t try, you ensure it.

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui Sentenced
September 23, 2010, New York, NY. The International Justice Network, attorneys for the family of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, issued the following statement today after Dr. Siddiqui was sentenced to by Judge Berman at the US federal court in Manhattan.

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui - who has never caused harm to anyone - has now been condemned to spend the rest of her life in a maximum security prison in the United States. This sentence is not only unjust because of its harshness to Dr. Siddiqui - but also because its impact on her two small children in Pakistan who may never see their mother again. But the greatest injustice of all is that those who are responsible for the kidnapping, disappearance, and abuse of Dr. Siddiqui and her children without cause have yet to answer for their actions.
[Insert something to respond to any comments she makes at sentencing which may be problematic].

While today's sentence concludes a shameful chapter in American history, it is only a matter of time before the truth about what has been done to Dr. Siddiqui, her family, and the thousands of other innocents who have been disappeared is revealed. Importantly, despite today's sentence and all the injustices which she has endured, Dr. Siddiqui has consistently made clear that she does not support any acts of violence being taken in her name. The International Justice Network stands in solidarity with the international community in condemning this unfair and unjust result in Dr. Siddiqui's case.

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“There is no God but You (Allah Almighty), You are far exalted and above all weaknesses, and I was indeed the wrongdoer”. AL-QURAN

The final decision of American court is discriminatory which showed a great sense of negitivity in their mind about muslims. we all should protest against our "so called GOVT" for their laziness and In this hour of need, we should pray for her as much as we can that Allah Alimighty reduce his hardships."ameen"

Now I have few words to say about Dr Afia

kafron ne jo kiya ek beti ko nilaam,
izzat bi uski uchali sar-e-am,
Allah ne abi to krdi ha tmhari rassi daraaz,
dro us waqt se jab mito ge safa-e-hasti se aur hojao ge gumnaam,

kitne gafil ho uski zaat ki ranaion se tum,
ho chuke ho is aarzi dunya ki naginion main gum,
jo gunah kr dala ha tum ne la ilmi main,
bakhuda nahi bacho ge us ki pkar se tum

aye bint-e-Islam tere azmat ko to hum salam karte hain,
tu to pekr-e-shuja'at hai hum sub ke liye,
rehti dunya tak likha jyega tera naam jilli haroof main,
ke tu bais-e-fakhar hai is arz-e-watan k liye

The final decision of American court against Dr. Afia is really unjust and condemnable. Our media has covered this case fully and public opinion is also clear cut about Dr.Afia. But I am really amazed why our media doesn’t cover the case of missing people of Balochistan. In these recent months so many youngsters have been abducted by our own agencies, their families are in a very deplorable situation. The relatives of these missing people are sitting outside the Quetta press club since a long time but everyone is silent on this grave humanitarian issue of Balochistan.

"Missing citizens of Pakistan" is a different issue. Please initiate new thread for different topics to avoid distraction.

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The Me you have always known, the Me that's a stranger still.

I am Totally agreed with Miss Maha and also against the emotional statements, We are also pakistani and muslim but there is something wrong at the bottom thats why Dr.Afia could not win her trial in the court and became sentenced of 86 years.

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Life has no Defination without Death

No court can give such a strict punishment without solid evidences.....Dr.Afia was innocent or not,time will decide this but apparently,all evidences are against her...those persons who claimed that a woman cannot even lift a gun were totally wrong,specially when Dr.Afia had links with AL-QAIDA...yesterday,an analyst told on ARY that"During trial Dr Afia continously arguments kerti rhi hain,jisse un k case pe negative effect para hai,halank is tarah k cases mein at the day of final judgement nhi argument dete,un k lawyer ne pehle brief ker dia tha,phir bhi unhn ne instruction ko follw nhi kia"...what DR Fouzia wants now?before the commencement of her Press conference she was smiling and later on she changed her tone and gave emotional statements..she knew that a common Pakistani was so emotional about the respect and image of his daughter,sister,mother and wife...she said"Hukamrano,Dr Afia wapis ayen gi,lekin ho skta hai tub tum na ho"...app batain k apki sister Afia ne kia co-operate kia during Trial...why you are fooling the whole Pakistan simply by saying that"Govt could not do any thing for her,when Afia herself spoiled her own case.....no offense is meant
Regards

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Fight for your dreams & your dreams will fight for you.

Here is a glimpse of the whole episode of Dr. Afia Siddiqui Case:

Dr. Aafia’s plight was highlighted by a British journalist and peace activist, Yvonne Ridley, who flew to Pakistan to address a press conference in Islamabad on July 7, 2008. “Today I am crying out for help, not for myself but for a Pakistani woman neither you nor I have ever met. She has been held in isolation by the Americans in Afghanistan and she needs help,” Ridley told a crowded press conference.

Ridley first learnt about the woman while reading a book by Guantanamo ex-detainee Moazzam Begg. One of the four Arabs who escaped from the infamous Bagram cell in July 2005 also told a television channel that he had heard a woman’s cries and screams in the prison but never saw her.

@For those who think the verdict is based on justice:

Ridley called her the Grey Lady of Bagram because she was almost a ghost, a spectre whose cries and screams continue to haunt those who heard her. The woman is registered as Prisoner number 650 and the US officials can’t deny the fact, Ridley said. “I demand that the US military free the Grey Lady immediately. We don’t know her identity, we don’t know her state of mind and we don’t know the extent of the abuse or torture she has been subjected to.”

On 24th July, 2008 the Asian Human Rights Commission issued an Urgent Appeal in the case of the disappearance of a lady doctor. Amid public protests in Pakistan, on August 1, an FBI official visited the house of Dr. Aafia’s brother in Houston to deliver the news that she is alive and in custody.

One week later she was produced in a New York court where even the Judge expressed surprise at the quick extradition of Dr. Aafia from Afghanistan to New York noting that in such a short period one could not extradite a person from Bronx (a New York Borough) to Manhattan.

The US authorities alleged that she fired at some US soldiers, etc. while she was being interrogated, after her alleged arrest. This is the only allegation on which Aafia has been tried. In the pre-trial hearing on January 18 the prosecution admitted: Dr Aafia is not a member of al-Qaida. She has no links to any terrorist organization.

The question is why the FBI chose to charge her only with firing at the US soldiers and agents? Why she is not charged with links to Al Qaed? Why she is not charged with planning attacks on targets in New York? Remember, a map of New York land marks was found on her when she was taken into custody in Ghazni, according to prosecution.

We may find answers to these questions in the post-9/11 trials of Muslims in the US. A number of Muslims were arrested on terror suspicion but never charged with terrorism or acquitted in terrorism charges. They were put on trial with flimsy charges of immigration violation, tax evasion or some other charges which have nothing to do with terrorism.

Ironically some members on the forum continuously insist that she is an Al-Qaeeda member, she is terrorist. The American court has not charge her with these allegations but we are "Shah se ziada shah k wafadar".


Here is authenticity of charges:

To borrow Stephen Lendman, “her trial was a travesty of justice based on the preposterous charge that in the presence of two FBI agents, two Army interpreters, and three US Army officers, she (110 pounds and frail) assaulted three of them, seized one of their rifles, opened fire at close range, hit no one, yet she was severely wounded. No credible evidence was presented. Some was kept secret. The proceedings were carefully orchestrated. Witnesses were either enlisted, pressured, coerced, and/or bought off to cooperate, then jurors were intimidated to convict her.”

If some one still believe that the verdict is based on justice then God Bless You. I could only pray for you.

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“There is no God but You (Allah Almighty), You are far exalted and above all weaknesses, and I was indeed the wrongdoer”. AL-QURAN