Even though the mainstream media avoided mentioning her case, the trial and conviction of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui may be one of the U.S. government's biggest wins or worst blunders. Dr. Siddiqui, a Pakistani-American neuroscientist educated at MIT, went missing in 2003. She was last seen with her three children in Karachi, Pakistan on her way to the airport. According to the U.S. government, Dr. Siddiqui reappeared in Afghanistan in 2008, where she came out behind a curtain, picked up a rifle, and shot at two soldiers. One soldier returned fire and wounded her in the torso, as the story goes.
This incident led to Dr. Siddiqui's Manhattan trial, where she faced attempted murder and other charges. She contended that the U.S. government secretly held her in a prison, where she faced torture and rape. And her family insists that Dr. Siddiqui has no links to terrorism. Meanwhile, the government contends that her ex-husband's uncle, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, mentioned her name in connection with terrorism. Mmm, sounds reliable.
Terrorism is a real threat, no doubt, but what about due process? Dr. Siddiqui's family has stated that the judge had, in essence, instructed the jury to find her guilty--he told them that aquitting her would mean a blemish on our government's record. Wouldn't putting away an innocent woman for 30 or more years be a huge blemish?
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