Aafia Siddiqui...American-educated Pak cognitive neuroscientist who was convicted of assault with intent to murder her U.S. interrogators in Afghanistan. In September 2010, she was sentenced to 86 years in jug after a three-ring trial. Siddiqui, using the alias Fahrem or Feriel Shahin, was one of six alleged al-Qaeda members who bought $19 million worth of blood diamonds in Liberia immediately prior to 9-11-01. Since her incarceration Paks have taken her to their heart and periodically erupt into demonstrations, while the government tries to find somebody to swap for her...
, who is serving an 86-year sentence in a prison medical center in Texas, had "clearly and unequivocally" stated her intent to end the appeal.
The judge ordered the case closed and said that, even if the appeal had continued, he likely would have ruled against Siddiqui. She was represented at trial by an able team of five lawyers, Berman wrote. He declined to hold a hearing to question
Siddiqui further.
In May, a new lawyer filed the appeal on Siddiqui's behalf, but in July Siddiqui wrote a letter to Berman saying she had no faith in the US legal system and refused to
participate in it.