Terrorist Suspect Dr. Afia Siddiqui In New York Court
nkdat...@bigmailbox.net
Daily Times, Lahore, Pakistan
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Dr Afia Siddiqui vows New York trial boycott
* Says she will not attend trial in the US
* Not dealing with defence lawyers anymore
NEW YORK: US-trained scientist from Pakistan, Dr Afia Siddiqui,
accused of shooting at Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents
and helping Al Qaeda, vowed on Thursday to boycott her January trial.
Afia interrupted lawyers at her pre trial hearing in US District Court
in Manhattan to announce that she did not plan to participate in her
trial, scheduled for January 19.
Not here: "I am boycotting this trial," she said. "I am innocent of
all the charges and I can prove it, but I will not do it in this
court," she added. Afia was brought to the US in August 2008 after she
was accused of grabbing a US Army officer's rifle in Afghanistan
several weeks earlier and firing at US soldiers and FBI agents. She
was shot in the abdomen in the fight and was charged with attempted
murder and assault.
Lawyers for Siddiqui tried to convince the court that she was mentally
incompetent to stand trial, citing in part her refusal to cooperate
with lawyers and the reports of a psychologist who said she suffered
from delusional disorder and depression.
US District Judge Richard M Berman rejected the argument after
prosecutors pointed to psychological reports that concluded she was
faking mental illness. Berman on Thursday rejected defence arguments
aimed at tossing out charges against the 37-year-old Afia that carried
a potential minimum prison sentence of 30 years and a maximum penalty
of life in prison.
No more dealing: Before he ruled on the request, Afia said visits by
her lawyers were "torture for me" and it was a waste of money for
lawyers to go to Afghanistan to interview witnesses because she was
not participating in the trial. "I'm not dealing with them anymore,"
Siddiqui said of her lawyers. "They're just people coming to my door
and talking, talking and talking," she added.
Nusrat, Rowayton, Connecticut
<nkdat...@bigmailbox.net> wrote:
>http://thenews.com.pk/news.asp?cat_id=9
4 years in Afghanistan with an infant daughter in tow, this fruit cake
pursues the US military.
Small wonder even her husband wants her locked up and kept away from
his family.
Romanise
<rizvi...@optonline.net> wrote:
> 4 years in Afghanistan with an infant daughter in tow, this fruit cake
> pursues the US military.
> Small wonder even her husband wants her locked up and kept away from
> his family.
Where was the daughter born? Was it Pakistan that allowed mother to
have daughter even when father was against it?
Nusrat, Rowayton, Connecticut
wrote:
Not sure if it would be in the best US interest to prove this moron is
a nut case, as this would absolve her of all crimes and possibly an
early deportation back to Pakistan where she would become a sensation
and a Jehadi all other Jehadis would look up to for leadership.
Scary prospect, don't you think?
Romanise
<rizvi...@optonline.net> wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:09:01 -0800 (PST), Romanise <josh...@gmail.com>
Responsibility of nurturing Jehadis is taken over by vested interests
in Pakistan from America of Eighties. Very likely these vested
interests solidified themslves with American money.