Pak Govt. can bring back Qaeda suspect Aafia Siddiqui in a day if it wants: US counsel
By ANIFriday, June 11, 2010
KARACHI - Hinting that the Pakistan Government was not serious in bringing back Dr. Aafia Siddiui, the Al-Qaeda terror suspect currently detained in a US jail, her American lawyer has said that Siddiqui can be extradited the ‘very next day’ if Islamabad asks for her repatriation.
Tina Foster said that the US authorities were misleading the government of Pakistan that Siddiqui can not be extradited before her sentencing by the court.
“Dr Siddiqui’s best chance for repatriation to Pakistan is before August 16 when a US judge is expected to sentence her to life-imprisonment, provided the Pakistani government put diplomatic pressure to get its citizen back,” Foster said during a press conference here.
Siddiqui, a trained neuroscientist, has been charged for firing at American investigators in Afghanistan in July 2008. She faces up to 20 years in prison on the attempted murder charge and life in prison on the firearms charge.
Foster, who is also the Executive Director of International Justice Network, also criticised US Attorney-General, Eric Holder, and the US Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson, saying they were ‘misleading both the government and the people of Pakistan over Siddiqui’s case.
They have stated that she (Siddiqui) could not be transferred to Pakistan because her case is still pending in the court. This is incorrect, and the government of Pakistan should not be fooled by this obvious attempt to forestall Dr Siddiqui’s return to Pakistan,” The News quoted Foster, as saying.
She described Siddiqui’s trial in a US court as a “miscarriage of justice”, and added that after the 9/11, Washington was not even ready to admit mistakes committed by state authorities.
Foster also blasted the US media for labelling Siddiqui a ‘terrorist’ and calling her “Al-Qaeda lady”. (ANI)
