When Aafia was brought to New York City, she was a citizen of Pakistan. That is part of the court records.
HOUSTON: This is with reference to Saroop Ijaz’s article “The Dark Side of the Moon” (September 1). The writer states: “Dr Aafia Siddiqui is one of ‘us’ never mind the US citizenship and conviction on terror charges.” I have known Aafia Siddiqui since she arrived in Texas in 1990. She was a Pakistani citizen with a visa that allowed her to go to school here. When she got married to a Pakistani citizen, her visa status was changed to that of the non-working spouse of a legal, temporary resident. That was her visa status when she returned to Pakistan in 2002.
During the years 2003-2008, she was being held in secret prisons by agents of the US government. She was not given American citizenship during this time. When Aafia was brought to New York City, she was a citizen of Pakistan. That is part of the court records.
One of the more macabre moments of the sentence hearing involved an argument between the judge and the prosecutor over whether she would be subject to three years supervision or five years supervision at the end of her eighty-six year sentence before being deported to Pakistan.
Since her conviction and sentencing in 2010, she has been in Carswell Prison near Fort Worth, Texas. The United States does not grant citizenship to convicted felons. She is still a Pakistani citizen.
Simply repeating the claim that Aafia is an American citizen does not make it true. Wishing it was true because it fits the writer’s story does not make it true.
Andrew Purcell
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2013.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
