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OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 12/3/10

WikiLeaks Reveals Diplomatic Cables on Aafia Siddiqui

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An October 29, 2008 cable denied knowledge of Siddiqui's children, even though her son was in US custody and two others at the time were missing. Pakistan's Acting Foreign Secretary, Khalid Babar, raised the issue with then ambassador Anne Patterson, who "made it clear that US authorities do not know the whereabouts of the children, who have never been in US custody, and noted that the Pakistani Embassy has been given full consular access to Siddiqui," a claim very much stretching the truth.

A November 13, 2008 cable said Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf "Gilani asked the US to release to GOP custody Dr. Aafia Siddiqui....argu(ing) that the needs of her family and reports of her being ill provided humanitarian grounds for such a transfer. He also argued that her case whipped up mass popular support, diverting his government's attention from the counterterrorism mission."

A February 12, 2010 cable said "a group of moderate Muslim religious leaders expressed very strong feelings about the Siddiqui case and the guilty verdict. The religious leaders were unified in their belief that Siddiqui did not receive a fair trial and called for mercy on the grounds that she was a women. They claimed that the verdict detracted from President Obama's efforts to reach out to the Muslim community and that he should step in and release Siddiqui as a show of good faith towards world Muslims."

The US Embassy said "Siddiqui had received a fair trial," when, in fact, it was rigged to convict.

A February 19, 2010 cable discussed a February 16  Gilani/Senator John Kerry meeting at which he:

"asked USG to consider repatriating Dr. Aafia Siddiqui on humanitarian grounds. He said that this was a very contentious issue in Pakistan, adding that by returning Dr. Siddiqui 'the US would be in the Pakistani people's good graces.' Both Gilani and Interior Minister Reham Malik assured Kerry that the GOP would honor the terms of Dr. Siddiqui's jail sentence, and suggested that she complete (it) under house arrest (in Pakistan). Kerry agreed to look into the prisoner transfer issue."

Likely not too hard as over nine months later, action didn't follow. Siddiqui is either in New York City isolation or at FMC "CarsHELL," perhaps there to die. If so, at least she'll have the peace she's been denied for over seven and a half years of brutal imprisonment, isolation and torture.

On December 1, Guardian writer Declan Walsh headlined, "WikiLeaks cables: Mystery deepens over Pakistan scientist Aafia Siddiqui," saying:

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