‘Judge throws book at Pakistani plotter’

The New York Post; September 24, 2010

[The following article, written by Bruce Golding for the contemptible Zionist rag The New York Post, is typically laden with half-truths, exaggerations and flagrant bias. Siddiqui's reported statements about Israel's central role in the 9/11 attacks, however, are not without relevance -- 800]

Reputed al-Qaeda associate Aafia Siddiqui was sentenced to 86 years in prison yesterday for trying to kill American personnel after getting busted in Afghanistan carrying two pounds of poison and plans to attack New York City.

But the MIT-educated neuroscientist — and wife of accused 9/11 plotter Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali — took her punishment in stride, urging her supporters to “forgive everybody in my case, please.”

“This may shock the Muslims, and I don’t mean disrespect . . . but I do love America, too, and there is no harm,” she said during a marathon, three-plus hour hearing in Manhattan federal court.

The 38-year-old, petite Pakistani spouted bizarre theories about how one of her jailers was plotting against America and how terrorists posing as Hispanics could be exposed through DNA testing.

“I have very credible information that I have been desperately trying to give to the FBI, but they won’t let me,” she said during one of several rambling, and disjointed statements.

Siddiqui — who tried to bar jurors with “Zionist or Israeli background” from her trial — repeated her claims that the Jewish state was behind the 9/11 terror attacks.

“I’m not anti-Israel, but, yes, I have said that they masterminded 9/11, and I have proof of that. Now I am saying that there are attacks being planned against America, big wars being planned, and they are involved in it,” she said.

She also repeatedly shook her head, rolled her eyes, waved her index finger and threw her hands up in the air at suggestions that she’s schizophrenic or otherwise unhinged.

“No, I am not mentally sick, schizophrenia. Excuse me. No way on earth,” she said.

Defense lawyer Dawn Cardi urged a sentence of no more than 12 years, insisting that Siddiqui “suffers from diminished capacity, and that is clear.”

“I ask the world to read what she’s written. It is incoherent . . . It is the writing of a woman who is mentally ill,” Cardi said.

Prosecutor Christopher LaVigne urged a maximum life sentence plus 10 years, saying “a catastrophe was averted” when Siddiqui was shot after grabbing an automatic rifle and opening fire inside an Afghan police compound in July 2008.

Judge Richard Berman — who called Siddiqui an “enigma” while reciting a lengthy history of her case — said the need for “significant incarceration” was “completely obvious and, indeed, compelled.”

Socialist agitator Sara Flounders, of the International Action Center, shouted, “Shame! Shame! Shame on this court!” after Berman announced the sentence, then led a band of marchers in chants outside the courthouse.

Angry demonstrations also erupted in Pakistan, where protesters shouted, “Down with America!” and threw shoes at a picture of President Obama, The Associated Press reported.

The above article can be found here: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/yrs_for_mit_grad_terror_ma_2wWgwdVKefQmXcXkfwT4fK