Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist convicted in 2010 for attempting to kill an FBI agent, has requested a presidential pardon from U.S. President Joe Biden before he leaves office. Siddiqui, 52, maintains her innocence and claims new evidence could support her case.
Siddiqui was sentenced to 86 years in prison for an incident in Afghanistan, where she allegedly attacked an FBI agent while in custody. Her lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, has submitted a detailed petition to President Biden, arguing that intelligence failures led to her wrongful conviction. Smith asserts that Siddiqui was abducted by Pakistan’s intelligence agency in 2003 and handed over to the CIA, where she was allegedly tortured.
Despite ongoing controversy, CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou and others argue that Siddiqui had ties to al-Qaeda and played a significant role in their network. However, Siddiqui’s family continues to assert that she is a victim of injustice, with her sister Fowzia campaigning for her release for nearly two decades.
With Biden’s term nearing its end, there are concerns that Siddiqui may not receive the relief she seeks before Donald Trump’s inauguration. Her legal team hopes for swift intervention to prevent her prolonged imprisonment.
How Did Dr. Aafia Siddiqui End Up in Texas?
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s story began in 2003 following the capture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks. Siddiqui, reportedly married to Mohammed’s nephew, disappeared with her children in Karachi, earning the nickname “Lady Al-Qaeda” due to her alleged connections to al-Qaeda.
In 2008, she was arrested in Afghanistan, allegedly carrying sodium cyanide and plans for attacks on U.S. targets. During interrogation, Siddiqui allegedly seized a U.S. soldier’s rifle and attempted to shoot U.S. agents, resulting in her being wounded and showing signs of mistreatment.
While her son was released in Afghanistan, the whereabouts of her other two children remain unknown. In 2010, Siddiqui was convicted of attempted murder in the U.S. and sentenced to 86 years, though she was never charged with direct ties to terrorism.
