Pakistani Scientist Is Found Fit to Stand Trial

[BanglaBhoot]

Aafia Siddiqui, the Pakistani neuroscientist accused of trying to kill American soldiers and F.B.I. agents in Afghanistan, has been found competent to stand trial by a federal judge in Manhattan.

The judge, Richard M. Berman of United States District Court, said in a 36-page decision on Wednesday that Ms. Siddiqui “has a rational as well as a factual understanding of the proceedings against her” and could assist her lawyers with her defense. He set a trial date for Oct. 19.

In a previous hearing this month, psychological experts offered conflicting testimony on whether Ms. Siddiqui was faking symptoms of mental illness – as prosecutors maintained — or had a genuine mental disorder, as her lawyer argued.

Ms. Siddiqui, 37, repeatedly interrupted the competency hearing with a series of disjointed outbursts, denying that she had shot anyone and declaring at one point: “I want to make peace with the United States of America. I’m not an enemy. I never was.”

Ms. Siddiqui was taken into custody in Afghanistan last summer after she was found loitering with suspicious items in her handbag, the authorities have said. These included handwritten notes that referred to a “mass casualty attack,” and listed landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, according to a federal indictment.

The indictment charges that while she was being held, she picked up an unsecured rifle, and fired at least two shots toward a member of an American team of F.B.I. agents and military personnel who were about to question her. No one was hit. She was charged with attempted murder and other charges, and has pleaded not guilty.

Her lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. Yusill Scribner, a spokeswoman for the United States attorney’s office, had no comment.

Pakistani Scientist Is Found Fit to Stand Trial - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com

 

[Awesome]

There was no question about her fitness. Americans needed more time to build up a fake case against her and thats why orchestrated this drama.

 

[Thomas]

There was no question about her fitness. Americans needed more time to build up a fake case against her and thats why orchestrated this drama.

are you saying that just because she is Pakistani and there for in your mind innocent no matter what. or becuase she never picked up a rifle and fired it at people and it's all one big conspiracy against Pakistanis?

It is common for people to fake mental illness as a defense.

 

[Awesome]

are you saying that just because she is Pakistani and there for in your mind innocent no matter what. or becuase she never picked up a rifle and fired it at people and it's all one big conspiracy against Pakistanis?

It is common for people to fake mental illness as a defense.

Don't be ridiculous there are hundreds or thousands of Pakistanis I would charge for terrorism, she is not one of them.

She's not even being tried for the right case. She was arrested in 2003, tortured, kept in captivity for ages in a US prison in Afghanistan and the Americans just forgot about her. When Yvonne Riddley blew her case wide open, the Americans who did not even acknowledge existence, in their goofing and bumbling way quickly then staged a fake arrest within the next 10 days. They made up a story that when they broke into some building they saw this distraught woman. When the soldier kept his weapon down beside her she caught it and started firing.

Very very dramatic don't you think?

And how did Yvonne Riddley announce that she's been in captivity for 5 years when the American didn't even arrest her officially 10 days after. It took 10 days to cook up this crazy plan.

Aafia did not fake the mental illness, in her testimony she was fighting the allegation that she's not fit, but they got some MEDICAL professional to declare she's unfit. And now she's fit again? That medical professional should be reprimanded!

Its like one goof up after another by the Americans. They just don't want to release her because then she'll speak to the media and tell her entire tale.