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Monthly Archives: February 2010
Gross miscarriage of justice: Aafia Siddiqui Innocent victim of prejudice
Aafia Siddiqui has been a victim from that fateful moment when she was kidnapped, and sent to Afghanistan–where she was brutally tortured. Her family also faced horrendous pain. A prejudiced jury has now pronounced her guilt–guilty of a crime of shooting at a marine–when there were no bullet holes, and no fingerpring on the gun–the frail MIT graduate has been pronounced guilty of attacking several armed males, somehow snatching their gun and then shooting at them–when she had no clue about guns.
Hopefully she will will the case on appeal.
NEW YORK: Aafia Siddiqui, the Pakistani neuroscientist, was found guilty of attempted murder charges on all seven counts listed in the complaint against her. She was tried on charges of trying to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan on July 28, 2008.
Dr. Aafia’s trial hits closing arguments
NEW YORK: Pakistan scientist Aafia Siddiqui’s lawyers concluded their arguments before a Manhattan court on Monday, insisting that there’s no physical evidence that their client had tried to kill American soldiers and FBI agents.
The trial of Dr Aafia, charged with shooting at her US interrogators in Afghanistan, moved into the final stage. As defence and prosecution lawyers delivered their closing arguments, the 16-member jury went into deliberations to reach a verdict. Sources said the verdict could come early next week.
Dr Aafia, who received graduate degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brandeis University in biology and neuroscience while living in the US between 1991 and June 2002, wasn’t in the courtroom as closing statements were made.
Defence highlights lack of coherence in testimony against Dr Aafia Siddiqui
NEW YORK: The trial of Aafia Siddiqui, the Pakistani scientist charged with shooting at her US interrogators in Afghanistan, moved into the final stage on Monday, with defence lawyers highlighting in their final arguments the lack of coherence in the accounts by prosecution witnesses. After both the prosecution and defence delivered their closing arguments, the 16-member jury went into deliberations to reach a verdict.
According to experts, the verdict could come early next week, although there is no fixed timeframe for the judgement.
The defence’s main argument was that evidence by the prosecution witnesses lacked coherence and their varying accounts were, in fact, contradictory – not only to each other but to themselves. Besides, the defence argued emphatically that there was no physical evidence produced by the prosecution to substantiate charges against Dr Aafia. The prosecution, they stated, tried to create an “atmosphere of fear” by producing handwritten notes by Aafia.
Dr. Fauzia worried over delay in Aafia case
KARAHCI: Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui, the sister of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui being tried in US over alleged charges of shooting US troops in Afghanistan, has said she was worried over delay in the verdict of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui case.
Talking to Geo news, she said Aafia’s son Ahmed is also scared of the delay in the ruling of her case.
She also appealed to nation for praying to seek her early release from US detention, saying entire nation is impatiently waiting for the judgment in Dr. Aafia Siddiqui case.
Laws of science do not apply in Aafia Siddiqui case
Aafia Siddiqui’s lawyer says the laws of science do not apply in the case against the Pakistani woman who is charged with attempting to murder US soldiers and FBI agents.
Siddiqui is accused of grabbing a US warrant officer’s M-4 rifle in a police station in Ghazni, Afghanistan and firing two shots at FBI agents and military personnel when being interrogated for her alleged possession of documents detailing a ‘terrorist’ plan.
On Monday, Siddiqui’s lawyer Linda Moreno said in the final stages of her trial in the Manhattan Federal Court that the “science” supported her testimony that she didn’t touch the weapon or fire it, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Haqqani phones mother of Dr. Aafia
NEW YORK: The Pakistani envoy to United States Hussain Haqqani has phoned the mother of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui on Monday night, Geo news reported.
It may be mentioned the hearing of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui has come to end but the jury comprising 16 judges has not reached any verdict as yet.
Jury verdict in Aafia’s alleged attempted murder case anxiously awaited
NEW YORK: A jury verdict in the case of Aafia Siddiqui, the Pakistani neuroscientist charged with shooting at U.S. interrogators in Afghanistan, is awaited with intense interest as the 12-member panel went into deliberations Monday afternoon after prosecution and defence lawyers wrapped up their closing arguments. The verdict, which the jury of seven women and five men is tasked to prepare, could “come within hours or in days,” Defence lawyer Charles Swift told reporters after the close of the trial proceedings in the Manhattan federal court that began on January 19. Ms. Siddiqui, 37, is accused of grabbing a U.S. warrant officer’s rifle while she was detained for questioning in July 2008 at a police station in Ghazni and firing at FBI agents and military personnel as she was pushed down.
None of the U.S. soldiers or FBI agents were injured, but U.S.-educated Ms. Siddiqui was shot. She is charged with attempted murder and assault and other crimes and faces life in prison if convicted.
US frame-up of Aafia Siddiqui begins to unravel
Pakistani victim of rendition and torture
By Ali Ismail
1 February 2010
Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui went on trial in a federal courtroom in New York City on January 19, charged with the attempted murder of US personnel in Afghanistan’s Ghazni Province in 2008. The case against Dr. Siddiqui, 37, is rapidly unraveling due to lack of evidence and discordant testimony from witnesses.
It is becoming increasingly evident that the charges amount to a frame-up that has been staged to cover up the fact that Siddiqui, along with her eldest son, had been held without charges in the US military’s notorious Bagram prison in Afghanistan between 2003 and 2008 where they were subjected to torture. Two of Dr. Siddiqui’s younger children are still missing.
Summations Hours Away in Siddiqui Trial
Closing remarks are scheduled to be heard on Monday afternoon in the trial of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman charged with attempted murder of American Citizens, at a police station in Ghazni province, Afghanistan.
Although there are no terrorism related charges brought against Siddiqui, nor is she charged with any connections to Al Qaeda, the Taliban, or Osama bin Laden, these allegations have been cleverly interwoven in the attempted murder charges. The Prosecution does not have to prove them nor can she respond to them, as they are not the charges she is on trial for. Yet terrorism frames the Prosecution’s entire case.
Thus in closing remarks the Prosecution is likely to once again tell the story of how a would be terrorist tried to pick up a soldiers M4 rifle and shoot at a group of American soldiers and FBI officials who had come to interrogate her at a police station in Ghazni, about documents found in her possession including pictures of New York landmarks and notes about how to make a dirty bomb. As irrational an attempt as it may appear to be they will tell the jury that while shooting she shouted “I want to kill Americans” or “Allah ul-Akbar”, like the many irrational suicide bombers who came before her. Then they will tell, how, in order to save the lives of the heavily armed group, one soldier returned fire shooting Siddiqui in the abdomen. Despite the fact that she had expressed her hatred for Americans and desire to kill them, the U.S.
Jury To Decide Fate of Aafia Siddiqui
As closing remarks came to an end and jury deliberations began in the trial of female Pakistani, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, who faces 7 count assault and attempted murder charges in a New York Court room, for an alleged shooting incident in Ghazni Afghanistan, many spectators are wondering if it is possible for her to have a fair trial in post 9-11 America.
Although she is not charged with terrorism, the Prosecution was able to make that claim the underpinning of its entire case, due in large part to Judge Richard Berman’s decision to allow into evidence documents found in Dr. Siddiqui’s possession which include handwritten notes about “how to make a dirty bomb” and plans to cause “mass casualties” in the United States. The defense Attorney, Charles Swift said it was a legally “flawed” decision and will be the basis on an appeal if Dr. Siddiqui is not acquitted.
