Read other letters about this article

• Tuesday, November 18, 2008 11:41 AM

  OT - Aafia Siddiqui found unfit to stand trial

  I'm picking this one of the 20 or so news articles on this because of the stunningly appropriate graphics, hey, let's keep the fear going now that Joe runs Homeland Security!

  http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=6275546

  She has been found to be unable to understand the charges against her or assist in her defense. Pretty strange for a Ph.D. neuroscientist specializing in visual training of the brain, who was shot twice because she was masterminding a plot to kill off New York City by carrying around maps of the Statue of Liberty in Ghazni, Afghanistan.

  Explain this. How did she get unfit to stand trial? She wasn't an adolescent when she disappeared and she isn't one now. How does she come up with visual and auditory hallucinations and inappropriate ability to reject their reality? How does she come up with Axis I depressive psychosis? Are those just al Qaeda mastermind tactics to infiltrate the U.S. and use skills acquired in biological anthropology to create biological warfare devices that Americans require a Bruce Ivins to create?

  There is a credible accusation of torture against the U.S. government. There is a victim in custody who is unfit to stand trial for unknown reasons. There is a Clinton appointed federal judge (Robert Berman) of the Southern District of New York and a U.S. Attorney (Michael J. Garcia) of dubious political neutrality (Elliot Spitzer anyone?) who are refusing to order any investigation of the accusation whatsoever. Judge Berman is in violation of international law for not investigating credible allegations of torture. The American system of justice now appears unable to correct wrongdoing of the very government that puts people on trial and appoints the judges. Every lawyer who supports this kind of justice should look carefully and hard at its consequences.

  The case comes to court tomorrow again when Berman will consider forced medication. It also comes to court tomorrow again when the Sind High Court considers a petition against the Pakistani government. Sooner or later, the people who allegedly tortured this woman should be put on trial, the person she allegedly aided should be allowed to testify about his suicide attempt at Guantanamo, and the Administration officials who put in place this foul stain on humanity should go to jail.

  I am very angry, and I need someone to prove that the wheels of justice really work at this point. Prove that the U.S. is capable of prosecuting one of the most heinous crimes known to man when the government is accused of it, or cram your apparently only-in-the-abstract rule of law. Even if she's the worst al Qaeda terrorist in the history of mankind, this is not fair, and not human, and the silence of the ACLU and other organizations that say they stand for human rights is frigging awesome. Prove you really stand up for what you believe. Because I no longer believe you prima facie.

  —ondelette Read ondelette's other letters
  Permalink
  Flag
  Click "Submit Flag" if you feel this post is inappropriate. Explain why below if you wish.

  Cancel