Trial Begins But Where Are the Children?
Feb 8, 2010 News & Events
ibrahimsajidmalick.com
As the War on Terror enters a new decade with a new administration, ghosts from the Bush era are beginning to emerge from the dark corridors of hidden detention centers, secret renditions, and elusive intrigues.
One of those ghosts whose story has been haunting the imagination of the Pakistani public for several years and recently even in Europe, is now beginning to capture the attention of Americans bold enough to enter the war’s most ghastly graveyard.
It is the ghost of Dr. Aaffia Siddiqui, a Pakistani MIT graduate and mother of three, who disappeared from the streets of Karachi in March 2003 along with her 3 children, at the time age under 6 mos, 3, and 7.
For years her family searched for her desperately, at times believing the worst; that she was dead. Then suddenly, 5 years later the ghost appeared live in the flesh, 12,000 miles from where she had disappeared.
In September 2008 the MIT Mom was brought to a Manhattan Court Room to be indicted on charges of trying to kill American soldiers and being a member of Al Qaeda. She was frail, delusional, incoherent, and wounded with a bullet wound to her abdomen dressed so badly that the judge had to order immediate medical attention. Her mugshot picture portrayed unspeakable horrors.
During the pre-trial hearing Dr. Siddiqui appeared in a complete veil, unusal for her according to family members. Her court room outbursts and body language signified a completely broken human being. Although there has been no independent assessment of her mental condition, she was clearly paranoid and incoherent. Moreover, her family has been unable to see her or communicate with her.
Few American’s are familiar with the facts surrounding her case; even less are familiar with the shocking claims being made by her family and indeed, by a majority of Pakistanis. Pakistan was so concerned with her plight that there have been resolutions passed in the parliament demanding her release. Meanwhile the western media has portrayed her as the Mata-Hari of Al-Qaeda, the female version of Chemical Ali, the “mother” of all terrorist. And much of this continues even as the prosecution made a stunning reversal when they announced to the court on January 11th that they would “not be charging” her with any connection to “any terrorist group”; This includes any connection to Al Qaeda, the Taliban, or Osama bin Laden.
However to the family, to the majority of Pakistanis, and to her growing number of supporters throughout the world, she is in fact prisoner 650, known as the “Gray Lady of Bagram”, whose shreaks and cries were so disturbing that the prisoners went on a hunger strike to demand that the torture against her stop. Several released detainees have since identified Dr. Siddiqui as the same prisoner 650 and several human rights groups also maintain that she is indeed prisoner 650. In fact, the weeks before her sudden and mysterious appearance at a police station in Afghanistan, human rights groups had been intensifying their demands to have prisoner 650 identified and produced.
Even more disturbing than what may have happened to her is what has come of her two still missing children. Though the older child who is now 13, was returned to the family in Pakistan shortly after her arrest, there is no information on the whereabouts of her two younger children who should now be age 6 and 9. Whether or not the prosecution is able to prove its limited attempted murder case to an American jury, surely no one can deny the innocence of the two missing young children.
The case of Aafia Siddiqui raises a number of mysterious questions are still to be explored. Now that the prosecution has decided not to charge her with terrorism why was she placed on the FBI’s terrorist list to begin with? What happened to her during those 5 missing years. What was the level of cooperation between Pakistani and American intelligence in her pursuit and possible abduction? What does her case mean for the future of Pakistan, U.S. relations. How does her case redefine the war on terror and the meaning of law, liberty, and human rights in 21st century America? And, the most troubling and pressing question of all; where are the children?
The trial of Aafia Siddiqui will begin on January 19th at the S.D.N.Y. courthouse at 500 Pearl St. Manhattan, New York.
We are expecting her case to wrap-up in two weeks. Cell-phones and laptops are not allowed. So we will cover as real-time as possible.
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