No formal request ever made for Dr Aafia’s repatriation: Lawyer
Talking to media before leaving for the US, they urged the Pakistani leadership to take action for the release of Dr Aafia. They stressed that Dr Aafia was a Pakistani citizen and that the US government’s rendition of Dr Afia from Afghanistan to the US is illegal under international law.
Gravel and Tina of the International Justice Network further said that the Musharraf regime had illegally kidnapped Dr Aafia along with her three children from Karachi in March 2003, and handed her over to the US government for illegal interrogation and secret detention based on completely false information.
Senator Gravel, a former member of the US Congress and a presidential candidate who ran against President Obama in 2008, maintained that Dr Aafia’s trial in the United States was illegal. He added that the US government had no moral or legal justification for their actions.
The senator pointed out that the Pakistani government would have to take serious action if it wanted Dr Siddiqi to be repatriated, adding that only words were not enough.
Attorney Foster said that the Pakistani administration had missed out many opportunities to secure the release of Dr Aafia; the case of Raymond Davis, a bilateral agreement for prisoner exchange and the adoption of a formal transfer treaty could have led to Dr Aafia’s release.
"We have received no cooperation from the Government of Pakistan in securing Dr Siddiqui's repatriation to Pakistan," said Foster "There's been a lot of talk, but no concrete steps have been taken despite numerous requests for assistance."
"I've come on a humanitarian mission to ask Pakistani leadership for its assistance in returning Dr Siddiqui to Pakistan. It's obvious that the will of the Pakistani people is being ignored by their leadership," she said, adding that the US government will not unilaterally release Dr Siddiqui unless it is pressured to do so by Pakistan.
"Dr Siddiqui is not a US citizen, so the US government should not be left to determine her fate, she should be returned to Pakistan so that she can begin to recover from the horrible torture and abuse that she has suffered," said Senator Gravel.
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kindly visit following websites for further information:
http://justiceforaafia.org/ http://freeaafia.org/ http://aafiamovement.com/
@Madeeha - Ameen to your Duas @Uza Syed: It is sad and shocking to note the lack of knowledge people have regarding the Aafia Siddiqui case. Aafia was never a terrorist, she was not convicted as one and not sentenced of being one. There was no open court to start with and throughout her ordeal Aafia's rights were violated, not even given the opportunity to have her own legal team represent her. What proof do you have she was a US citizen except for the rubbish the media dishes out saying she is a US citizen. Ordinary folk in Pakistan and people accross the world have the right to stand up for for truth and injustices against their fellow sister because the Pakistan government is weak and impotent, they lacl political will, and at the same time complacent in handing over Aafia to the global terrorists (USA).
What is the matter with people here! does it really matter what nationality Dr. Aafia has??? Even if she is an american citizen, does that mean that she can be kept in a secret prison without a fair trial & no contact with family!!! Secondly, who's saying that she is a terrorist!??? For your information, during her court trial the judge himself said that she is not a terrorist & she is not related to any terrorist organisation! Atleast search & get correct information before posting any comments anywhere! Thirdly, do u people know that according to Islam, a Muslim government cannot sell or transfer Muslim prisoners to Non-Muslim governments!!! It is NOT allowed in Islam!!! These Muslim prisoners should be kept in Muslim prisons & given a fair trial and NOT kept in secret prisons!!! It is a shame that Muslims are not supporting her return!!! Even if she did do some wrong (which i dont believe she did), even then she has a right to come back to her country Pakistan, as during her trial, there was NO forensic or physical evidence found against her!!! May Allah help her to return to her family asap. Aameen.
@thoughtful: thoroughly discredited? from what i see he was anti-Vitnam war, anti-draft and played a part in getting the Pentagon Papers out.
I dont see any major controversies on his wikipedia page either.....
@Altaf Shakoor: In that case both of these gentemen might pursue this convicted terrorist's case, who happens to be a U.S. Citizen, over there and not here. Why don't they challenge her conviction in a court of law in their country where she was tried in an open court. If the conviction is wrong then, I'm sure, that Ramsey Clark or the other guy ought to know that the Supreme Court of the U.S. might be right place to ask for remedy and they might overturn this decision. Why must the ordinay folks in Pakistan be incited, how and what can they do in this regard for a foreign national.
not to burst your bubble but Mike Gravel is no longer a senator and has been thoroughly discredited. Look him up anywhere.
@ Uza Syed: Former US Presidential candidate (2008) Hon. Senator Mike Gravel is in his late seventies. Former US Attorney General Hon. Mr. Ramsey Clark is in his early eighties. They both have confessed that Aafia is a Pakistani citizen and that she was abducted from the streets of Karachi in 2003. And that her trial in US was illegal. And that the Pakistani government never officially demanded her back. How come in the age of almost retirement they will go for political mileage? Does it makes any sense? People like Ramsey and Mike have bettered the US image in the eyes of Pakistani nationals - that all is not wrong and their are people in US who care for justice and are outspoken against the misdeeds and wrong doings of the US establishment.
On what basis Dr. Afia is declared terorist here?
Some of the comments above are unfortunate. She can be dual citizen. That's immaterial. Also she is a human being or may be you have downgraded her on that too. Can someone please explain to me that she was awarded 84 years on charges of 'attempting' to kill American agents while she is the one who gets shot. What happened to the charge of AlQaeda operative and a high ranking terrorist for which she was being hunted? Why frame her on a such a flimsy charge and give 84 years. Anyone?
@Ijaz Mir: Well Said! Why does Pakistan always has to entertain all terrorists? She's a proven one and it is highly recommended that her remaining family should also be kicked out of Pakistan to clean the filth. We need fresh air not more suffocation as we already have enough!
We do not need another terrorist back in our country!
@Uza Syed: Political mileage?! As far as i know, JI supporters dont really get to vote in the US elections.
For God sake people of Pakistan and their wishes in the matter of a terrorist who is a US Citizen who traded Pakistani citizenship. As far as we are concerned it's matter between a foreign national, a convicted terrorists who has been convicted by the courts of her country's laws. These two individual if they wish to pursue it and gain some political mileage out of it then they may proceed with this agenda in their country and leave us alone.
@Cautious
What are you trying to prove ?????
MS Aafia is not a Pakistani Citizen. She is US citizen and never denounce her citizenship. She divorce her Pakistani origin husband and remarried a Arab terrorist. Lived in Kandahar Afghanistan. She is self proclaimed Terrorist and never repent. Keep in American jails is good for Pakistan
Tina Foster maybe an attorney and occasionally write about Aafria but to the best of my knowledge she is not Aafria's attorney and her name doesn't appear on any court document.