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Pakistan to fight for terrorist convict's release
By ASHRAF KHAN (AP) 17 minutes ago
KARACHI, Pakistan Pakistan's prime minister called a female scientist convicted of trying to kill U.S. interrogators in Afghanistan "the daughter of the nation" on Friday and vowed to campaign for her release from an American jail.
Yousuf Raza Gilani's comments appeared to be an attempt to manage public anger over the 86-year sentence handed down to Aafia Siddiqui by a New York court on Thursday. The case of the American-trained Pakistani scientist and mother has struck a chord among Islamist groups and ordinary Pakistanis, many of whom are convinced of her innocence.
The sentencing prompted demonstrations in at least two cities, with much of the anger directed at the already unpopular Pakistani government for failing to somehow intervene in her case.
Around 100 members of an Islamist political party briefly scuffled with police in the capital, Islamabad, after Friday prayers as they attempted to march to the U.S. Embassy. Authorities in other cities were also bracing for protests.
Gilani said he had lobbied U.S. officials for Siddiqui's release to "improve the U.S. image in Pakistan."
"We all are united, and we want the daughter of the nation to come back to Pakistan," he told parliament, which unanimously adopted a resolution demanding Siddiqui's repatriation.
"I fought for her, my lawyer fought for her and now I will take up this matter on a political level," he said.
Siddiqui, 38, was detained in Afghanistan in 2008. She was found guilty of seizing a weapon from one of her captors and trying to shoot U.S. authorities who were interrogating her there.
Many Pakistanis believe claims by Siddiqui's supporters that the U.S.
abducted her long before that and kept her in a secret prison for years as it pursued its fight against global terrorism. U.S. officials deny those claims, though they had listed Siddiqui as a suspect wanted for alleged links to al-Qaida before her arrest.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The Associated Press: Pakistan to fight for terrorist convict's release
By ASHRAF KHAN (AP) 17 minutes ago
KARACHI, Pakistan Pakistan's prime minister called a female scientist convicted of trying to kill U.S. interrogators in Afghanistan "the daughter of the nation" on Friday and vowed to campaign for her release from an American jail.
Yousuf Raza Gilani's comments appeared to be an attempt to manage public anger over the 86-year sentence handed down to Aafia Siddiqui by a New York court on Thursday. The case of the American-trained Pakistani scientist and mother has struck a chord among Islamist groups and ordinary Pakistanis, many of whom are convinced of her innocence.
The sentencing prompted demonstrations in at least two cities, with much of the anger directed at the already unpopular Pakistani government for failing to somehow intervene in her case.
Around 100 members of an Islamist political party briefly scuffled with police in the capital, Islamabad, after Friday prayers as they attempted to march to the U.S. Embassy. Authorities in other cities were also bracing for protests.
Gilani said he had lobbied U.S. officials for Siddiqui's release to "improve the U.S. image in Pakistan."
"We all are united, and we want the daughter of the nation to come back to Pakistan," he told parliament, which unanimously adopted a resolution demanding Siddiqui's repatriation.
"I fought for her, my lawyer fought for her and now I will take up this matter on a political level," he said.
Siddiqui, 38, was detained in Afghanistan in 2008. She was found guilty of seizing a weapon from one of her captors and trying to shoot U.S. authorities who were interrogating her there.
Many Pakistanis believe claims by Siddiqui's supporters that the U.S.
abducted her long before that and kept her in a secret prison for years as it pursued its fight against global terrorism. U.S. officials deny those claims, though they had listed Siddiqui as a suspect wanted for alleged links to al-Qaida before her arrest.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The Associated Press: Pakistan to fight for terrorist convict's release
. We are closer to a revolution... let's hope it turns out well enough
...
