“Pakistani indicted in NY for attack on U.S. soldiers
Tue Sep 2, 2008 4:50pm EDT
Reported by Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Pakistani woman suspected of links to al Qaeda was indicted on Tuesday on federal charges of attempted murder and assault of U.S. soldiers during a confrontation in Afghanistan in July.

Aafia Siddiqui, 36, a U.S.-trained neuroscientist, resurfaced in August after being declared missing for five years by human rights groups. She was flown by the United States to New York from Afghanistan.

The indictment says Siddiqui was detained by Afghan police in July and brought before U.S. officers for questioning in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province on July 18.

She was found to possess “handwritten notes” about a “mass casualty attack” and a list of U.S. locations, including the Empire State Building, the Statute of Liberty, Wall Street and the Brooklyn Bridge, the indictment said.

During an interview with U.S. soldiers and others, Siddiqui got control of one of a U.S. officer’s rifle and fired it at several members of the interview team. She then attempted to assault other officers, the indictment said.

Siddiqui’s lawyers have said they believe she had been secretly detained since March 2003, when she left her parents’ home in Karachi to visit her uncle in Islamabad.

In 2004, Siddiqui was identified by the FBI as an “al Qaeda operative and facilitator who posed a clear and present danger to America.”

Siddiqui is married to a nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who helped plan the September 11 attacks. Her husband was captured in 2003 and is now held at the U.S. military prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Siddiqui, who was shot in the abdomen and wounded during the alleged attack, is charged with attempted murder, armed assault, and other charges.

If convicted, she could face life in prison. She is due to be arraigned on Thursday.”

The Aafia Siddiqui I Saw

http://www.al-istiqamah.com/IF/Aafia1.htm

Another dawn …another day,
Disgrace; insult is thrown our way;
Yet shamelessly on their golden perch
The spineless look - Oh how they sway!

As if there is no Lord above,
They with the devil-hand in glove;
Selling our dearest values and souls,
For gold and power - push and shove!

This crime you saw they so denied,
To filthy scum they sold the bride;
Yet the mighty Creator seeing it all
Unveils the gruesome act they hide!

Amongst ravenous wolves the fair one lies,
As from brutish hands she helplessly flies;
A suffering sister sane no more,
Her anguished screams - they rent the skies.

And this is all the pride you boast,
Our tormentors you daily host !
But yesterday we shared the cup,
- And today so far apart we coast ?

When comes a ‘Qasim’ to stem this rot?
Of Almighty Allah and His Messenger forgot!
Of cheaply selling our heritage which -
With submission and sacrifice was dearly bought.

And yet the strong will go their way,
As an ‘Iftikhar’ keep the monsters at bay;
Afia! Our elders pray, while the braver fight -
For a glorious dawn…and a better day!

I am quite touched about your opinion which classifies me “as one of the few writers, putting forth original ideas” and I must say I will try to reconsider you on your lines about commenting. I, try to write and interact with my readers as well as fellow writers to quench my insatiable thirst for knowledge. My comments, I am sad to say, resulted in a petty, yet a meaningless quarry. I never imagined that they would provoke such kind of responses from such wonderfully, knowledgeable people. Infact more informed people than me.

I hope you will keep checking my upcoming articles too and that my articles occupy the same place in your eyes.

Regards

You are most welcome, though i do hope you will reconsider from commenting on this site. The uniqueness of writing on a blog is that, the writer has an opportunity to interact with readers. You are one of the few writers on this blog that really is putting forth original ideals and it would be a shame, the readers will not be able to exchange ideas with you.

I have also thought of not commenting on this site, due to the immaturity of some the responses to my comments, and after some contemplation I reconsidered. Do not be intimidated by anyone.

The final choice is yours, though I certainly pray that you will continue to comment on this site. I look forward to reading your next article.

Regards

Thankyou for your concern. I, however, have decided not to share my opinions in the form of comments. I am happy to know that you like my articles. There can be no higher praise nor any soulful motivation for me, other than your words about my writing. You can be assured that i will continue writing articles but I will refrain from commenting.

I truly appreciate Mr Aftab. He was the first person to comment on my very fist article and I am very grateful to him for that. He even continued commenting good-naturedly on my other articles and I have absolutely no intention of making him against me over a petty issue like this.

After all there are more major issues like Dr, Affia and the things happening in the world. It seems almost churlish to pick on people on minor things.

Once again I am sorry that my comment caused such hassle. And thankyou for your kind comment.

Regards.

I really do not understand how this dialogue went this far of “hurling insults” and I want you to know, please continue sharing your views. I have read few of your articles and I am very happy to know that we have people here that can express themselves. I believe the problem most likely came up here is that, some of the words and questions you asked, were fragmented and not clear.

This case of Aafia Siddiqui has caused a lot of divisions among people. Even within my family here in the US, we have quite divergent positions.

Please accept my apology and continue sharing your views. Dialogue is important for better understanding, even if others do not agree.

I do not question your intentions and I am sure others do not as well.

Regards

Good point Nazia! I also feel sorry for such people.

* and their curry and their rice and the naans.