Pakistan

Aafia's sentence pushed to September

Aafia Siddiqui who was convicted of trying to kill US agents in Afghanistan will be sentenced next month in New York.

Afp August 13, 2010

NEW YORK: Pakistani scientist Aafia Siddiqui who was convicted of trying to kill US agents in Afghanistan will be sentenced next month in New York, her lawyers said Thursday.

"The sentencing has been postponed until September 23," a lawyer for Aafia Siddiqui, Elaine Sharp told AFP. Sentencing had been set for August 16.

Sharp also said that last month the defense had sought a lesser sentence than life in prison, citing Siddiqui's mental health.

Siddiqui, 37 and a graduate of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was convicted in February of grabbing a gun and shooting at US officials who were questioning her at an Afghan police station in July 2008.Her arrest was the first time she had been seen in five years.

She disappeared, along with her three children, in 2003 from the Pakistani city of Karachi. Two of those children have not been seen since.

Her family and lawyers have charged that she was being held in a secret US or allied prison as part of the US "war on terror" launched after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Her name is on a 2004 US list of suspects linked to al Qaeda.

COMMENTS (1)

Syed A. Mateen | 14 years ago | Reply Had an American lady been detained in one of the Pakistan's prisons, US would have taken her by hook or by crook long time back, but what shall we say to our own government? Our govenrment did not have the courage to speak to US authorities about Aafia Siddiqui, what to talk about bringing her back home to unite with the family. Each and every Pakistani is of the opinion that Asfia Siddiqui is innocent and she has been trapped by the US authorities, after making a concocted case against her. This is a lesson for all Pakistanis who abuse the beloved country Pakistan and dream to acquire a US Green Card/Citizenship and live in US, a so called land of opportunity for rest of their lives. Any Muslim of Pakistani origin is not safe in the US. There may be many untold stories which are yet to come in the limelight in the print and electronic media. Look at the Champion who preach day and night for Democracy. May Al-Mighty Allah give wisdom to all Pakistani Muslims to work for the betterment of Pakistan, instead of day dreaming to live in the US and spoil there careers and families.

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