My point was simply that this case of a human rights disaster is actually worthy of mass protests and anger rather than cartoons and the like. I was following her case and I am just shocked. And many medias never even covered it. Some did, but superficially and one single mention.

The story of the egyptian woman who was shot in a German court went around the world, yet many people I speak to have never heard of Aafia Siddiqui. That says a lot. I also miss a more outright and direct protest chain from muslims.

Anyways the case is finished now. Unless she appeals, she will be sentenced and the truth will die with her.

In addition, pls see this official family-sponsored site:

freeaafia.org

I wonder if just american muslims can organize a big protest.

I am also appalled to learn that none other than a couple of Pakistani medias are covering the story. Al Jazeera, or general arab news.

Who cares? Or are protests just reserved for “really important” issues like cartoons?

This is a female, Muslim and judging from the reputation of Bagram prison and US policy on detainees (Abu Ghraib anyone?) we should be worried.

Yet nothing.

With the greatest respect, Bob, I don’t think anyone has been “deceived” nor has sr Yvonne “changed her story.”

Sr Yvonne has never claimed that Aafia Siddiqui was prisoner 650. Nor were her statements the result of merely reading Moazzam Begg’s book. He was not the only prisoner to have witnessed a female detainee in Bagram. Other former detainees have testified to this; amongst them the four who escaped from Bagram in 2005 and were the first to identify her prison no. as 650. If you do not trust the word of the former detainees then perhaps you would take the word of the ICRC who independently confirmed that a woman was held in 2003 in Bagram but were not in a position to say more.

It was the Pakistani media and masses there who immediately linked the case of 650 with that of Aafia Siddiqui, claiming with certainty that they were one and the same. So if anyone is at fault then it is those who made this link and propagated this misconception. We have always been against statements that “Aafia Siddiqui, Prisoner 650″ as we have seen circulating on the internet, in Pakistan, in the media and amongst concerned Muslims.

Far from being “irresponsible” or “causing undue stress”, whether or not she claimed 650 was Aafia, her work led to the media storm that resulted in sr Aafia being transferred to the US after five years of her whereabouts being unknown. That surely has brought some relief to Aafia’s family and all those who were concerned for her and insha’Allah I hope that we will also get to the bottom of Prisoner 650’s case and other female prisoners in the War on Terror as a result of her efforts. After repeated denials the US have finally admitted that there was indeed a female prisoner in Bagram and that her prison no. is 650 – although they say that she is not Aafia and that she was released in 2005; all of this a result of sr Yvonne’s efforts, and achieving far more than other NGOs working in this area had hitherto.

>>From now on I suggest people look for real evidence instead of embracing such charlatans.

Rather I would suggest that you examine the ‘real evidence’ instead of jumping to erroneous conclusions and apologise to those whom you label “charlatans”.

Rifa’i – the news article is true; Yvonne has never claimed that 650 was Aafia. She has made many public statements that 650 is not Aafia, once the US had confirmed finally that they are two separate detainees, prior to this.

Here is the text of her recent address in Lahore:
http://www.cageprisoners.com%2Farticles.php%3Fid%3D26647

Some background info on this issue:
http://www.cageprisoners.com%2Farticles.php%3Fid%3D26184
http://www.cageprisoners.com%2Farticles.php%3Fid%3D26136
http://www.cageprisoners.com%2Farticles.php%3Fid%3D25320
http://www.cageprisoners.com%2Farticles.php%3Fid%3D25560
http://www.cageprisoners.com%2Farticles.php%3Fid%3D25581
http://www.cageprisoners.com%2Farticles.php%3Fid%3D25318

Shes a “charlatan”? For bringing up the issue of detention of a Pakistani woman by the US/Afghan puppets and being tortured in their custody?So what if prisoner 650 was not Dr. Aafia??? Is it OK that ANOTHER woman is suffering the same fate??And isnt the point of Yvonnes work to highlight the plight of such people?

If u did any research on the subject u might have gathered that , regardless of whether Dr. Aafia was prisoner 650, she was more than likley in custody of “coalition” forces throughout the time she had “dissappeared”. From the state she was recovered in doesnt look like they treated her well…to say the least.

And looking at the article u posted , bad grammar and all, unless Yvonne Ridley makes the announcement that she was wrong on her blog or another more reputable source I should be inclined to disregard it. Given that the article claims that she embraced Islam in Taliban captivity , which is not true, its attribution to her of the statement you speak of might as well be untrue.

It appears that many of you have been decieved.
Yvonne Ridley who came up with the 650 story has changed it.

“British journalist Yvonne Ridley who embraced Islam in Taliban captivity told that prisoners No. 650 was not Dr. Aafia Siddiqui rather another Pakistani woman who had been held in solitary confinement for years at the Bagram US base near Kabul”

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=135352

The story was based on a presumption she made after readin Moazzam Begg’s book. Her irresponsible punlic statements have caused a lot of undo stress. From now on I suggest people look for real evidence instead of embracing such charlatans.

thank you,