On September 23 in federal court, US District Court Judge Richard Berman sentenced political prisoner Aafia Siddiqui to 86 years in prison. Outrage most accurately expresses this gross miscarriage of justice, compounding what she’s already endured following her March 30, 2003 abduction, imprisonment, torture, prosecution, and conviction on bogus charges.
Earlier articles explained her case in detail, accessed through the following links:
http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2008/12/abduction-secret-detention-torture-and.html
http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/02/aafia-siddiqui-victimized-by-american.html
http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/03/aafia-siddiqui-victimized-by-american.html
In modern times, she’s one of American depravity’s most aggrieved victims, now given a virtual life sentence for a crime she didn’t and couldn’t have committed, explained in the above articles.
In recent months, she’s been in New York’s Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in maximum security solitary confinement, during her trial, conviction and September 23 sentencing. Importantly, her life was effectively destroyed by years of horrific tortures, repeated rapings, and other abuses in Bagram Prison at America’s Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.
Addressing the court, said said “I’m not paranoid. I’m not mentally ill. I don’t agree with” anyone saying so, though it’s hard imagining why not after years of horrific brutalization. A Pakistani/American scientist, years of torture and abuse destroyed her persona, yet somehow she survived and endured more stress from prosecution, a travesty of a trial, conviction and sentencing.
Reporting on the court’s decision, the BBC repeated government lies, including her possessing bomb making instructions to blow up New York landmarks – “evidence that she was a potentially dangerous terrorist.” Yet her indictment was on totally different charges – preposterous ones accusing her of the following:
In the presence of two FBI agents, two Army interpreters, and three US Army officers, this frail 110 pound woman allegedly assaulted three of them, seized one of their rifles, opened fire at close range, hit no one, yet she alone was severely wounded.
At trial, no credible evidence was presented. The charges were concocted and bogus. None accused her of plotting to blow up New York or any other landmarks or facilities.
Yet proceedings were carefully orchestrated. Witnesses were enlisted, pressured, coerced, and/or bribed to cooperate. Jurors were then intimidated to convict, her attorney Elaine Whitfield Sharp, saying their verdict was “based on fear, not fact.” No evidence was presented except claims government prosecutors invented to convict.
The International Tribune also highlighted today’s proceedings, headlining “Dr. Aafia sentenced to 86 years imprisonment,” saying:
It was on seven counts “for allegedly firing at US troops in Afghanistan.” After the announcement, protests erupted across Pakistan. In Karachi, civil society and political party workers rallied “in front of the Karachi Press Club….ask(ing) the federal government” to intervene on her behalf.
Jamaat-e-Islami, PASBAN, Defense of Human Rights, and other civil society members marched toward the US Embassy, expressing outrage and demanding she be released “as a goodwill gesture.”
“Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister Ms. Sharmila Farooqui asked the United States to release (her) on humanitarian (grounds) as a goodwill gesture to Pakistan….Now is the time for the US to show goodness and pardon a Pakistani woman who is innocent.”
Farooqui said Aafia was wrongly abducted, then handed over to US authorities. She’s “an innocent woman,” outrageously treated, convicted and sentenced.
Explaining further she said:
“In Islam and Pakistan, handing over a woman to foreign countries is a sin, but it is a pity that an innocent woman was mercilessly given in(to the) hands of the (previous) US” government.
She also urged international human rights organizations to actively pursue her release.
A Final Comment
At issue is 9/11 truth, the subsequent bogus “war on terror” based on a lie, America’s war on Islam that followed against Iraq, Afghanistan, and Muslim Americans, victimized for political advantage. Aafia is perhaps its most aggrieved living victim, her persona destroyed and life ended by a virtual life sentence unless clemency or world pressure saves her.
Her case should incite everyone’s moral outrage. It also reveals America’s true face, its rogue agenda, targeting Muslims for their faith and ethnicity, making us all equally vulnerable.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.
I think it is justified decision what she deserves if she can take a life of professionals then what can u think about others she is mad thats why her husband divorce him.
without fire a bullet she sentenced for 86 years jail … now US Justice is also lost its faith … Afia Kidnapped by Musharraf”s man in March 2003 and sold to USA / Afghan Forces in Afghanistan and they announced that she was arrested in Afghanistan in 2008 what a fvcking story … now judge is also confused and says that matter is not clear about her …
Her Lawyers had no choice left but to get her released on Insanity Plea because they could not defend her against the Evidence provided by the state.
* They had gotten her to examined by independent Psychiatrists to prove their case, when in her first appearance in the court she had not remained silent as she was advised. She had started screaming against USA, plead guilty to the charges and had demanded Death Sentence.
* She failed her Lawyers by acting normal in front of Psychiatrists however, during the court proceedings, she kept screaming and was taken out of court a few times to continue proceedings because of her loud interfering outbursts.
* Her Lawyers could not ask USA, where were her other 2 children her supporters call missing because when she was arrested by Afghan Police in Ghazni, she only had one with her. He was never handed over to USA and was handed over to Pakistan Authorities.
* She herself did not accuse USA or Pakistan of killing or stealing her other 2 children.
* The Statements of her Supporters that she was abducted by Pakistan and handed over to USA have been proven wrong because she had left her sister to marry an Al Qaeda operative, who was a Nephew of 9/11 Al Qaeda Mastermind, Khalid Shaikh Mohammad. Khalid, in a US Jail, told FBI about this incident without any pressure.
* Its a lie that she was in Bagram Prison for years because her own Uncle, who lives in Islamabad had told Reporters that she had come to his house in a Car and had asked him to arrange for her travel to Afghanistan before she was caught in Ghazni.
* Allegation that USA has made her confess is also false because she says, she was never tortured in USA Custody.
* US Government says, after she was shot back by a US Interrogating Team Member defending himself and others from her and was subdued, her life was saved because she was rushed very fast to a Military Hospital for her Stomach Wound. She was not thankful to them for saving her life because she had said that she had wanted to die as an Islamic JehaaDi Martyr.
* Learning about her Mental State, one can say its possible that either she killed her other 2 children because of her neglect or she may have used them as Suicide Bombers in Pakistan or Afghanistan in her crazy JehaaD.
* According to her first former Husband, she was making very good money in her job as Neuro-scientist in USA but donating her income to Al Qaeda.
* Investigation also proved that she was collecting money from Moslims in USA for JehaaD against USA and had a Bank Account in name of her Charitable Organization.
* Her former first husband said, she had divorced him because he had refused to go to Afghanistan with her and kill American Soldiers.
* Her Son is a Teenager living with her sister in Karachi but she does not permit him to be with anybody, who can ask him questions to learn, where she had gone after she had disappeared or was not in contact with her family for 3 years or longer, which proves a lot allegations or stories about Aafia spread by Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda Sympathizers, Anti US Mollaas or JehaaDis against ISI or Government of Pakistan and USA are false.
Her life is sickening. Tortured, made to go half crazy, and what was it, her baby child killed?
They’ve beaten her up as she’s a toy for how many years now. The US are disgusting.
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui – I am Sorry! http://bit.ly/bhdznl
Afia’s sentence is the proof of americans’ double standards and total lack of integrity.