Aafia Siddiqui denies shooting at US government officials in Afghanistan
NEW YORK: Asserting that she believes in peace, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist under U.S. detention, Monday made an impassioned denial of government allegations that she tried to kill American soldiers and F.B.I. agents in Afghanistan. “I did not shoot anybody, and I did not fire at anybody,” Dr. Siddiqui, 37, told a U.S. District Court, which is holding a hearing being held to determine whether she is competent to stand trial.
Governmment psychiatrists claim that she has been faking symptoms of mental illness in the hope of avoiding a criminal trial set for in October. They also accused her of doing so in order to be repatriated to Pakistan.
But a psychologist retained by Ms. Siddiqui’s lawyers, she suffers from a genuine mental disorder, and is incompetent to stand trial.
These clashing descriptions are contained in newly filed psychological evaluations in the case of Ms. Siddiqui, who was brought to New York last August from Afghanistan where she was shot twice in her abdomen in an encounter.
Ms. Siddiqui, who in the past refused to come to the court because of the humiliating strip-search she was required to undergo, made an appearance on Monday following an order by Judge Richard Berman permitting authorities to take her there against her will.
At the outset, Judge Berman thanked Dr. Siddiqui for coming to the court, saying it was important for all concerned.
Dr. Siddiqui spoke out during the cross-examination of the defence’s psychologist, L. Thomas Kucharski, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, whose conclusion was that Ms. Siddiqui was suffering from a delusional disorder and depression.
“I am not psychotic,” declared Ms. Siddiqui, wearing a white hijab, with only her eyes showing.
Sitting next to her lawyer, Dawn Cardi, she told the packed court, “God has brought me out of death for peace. I can assure that I want to stop these wars. Wouldn’t be be nicer to bring peace. I am among the very few people who have inside view of the war… I was in Afghanistan…” Most of what she said was inaudible because she was not in front of a microphone.
She spoke with passion, and began to leave the court as Judge Berman called for a recess.
SOURCE: www.app.com.pk
July 9th, 2009 at 4:31 am
Hello! GOD BLESS to Dr. Aafia, God will help her, i pray to God she soon come back to her home. I want to say where are that soldiers, who charged that Dr. Aafia shoot at them, many courts dates had gone, but they still not appear in court, ………… where are US Soldiers?????????????/