Who is ‘Lady al-Qaeda’ Aafia Siddiqui, and why is she serving an 86-year jail term in the US: All you need to know

From a Pakistani neuroscientist to the infamous ‘Lady al-Qaeda’, Aafia Siddiqui, continues to garner support and sympathy from Pakistani politicians and ‘human rights’ activists despite her Jihadi terror linked past. Aafia Siddiqui is currently serving an 86-year prison sentence in a Texas jail in the United States. Siddiqui convicted in 2010 of attempted murder of US officials in Afghanistan.  The hopes for her repatriation to Pakistan rekindled when Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited the US for a White House dinner with President Donald Trump in April this year after days after India defeated Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. However, Munir did not raise the matter with Trump. قوم کی عزت، فیلڈ مارشل جنرل عاصم منیر کے ہاتھ میں ہے۔صدر ٹرمپ سے ملاقات صرف ایک رسمی موقع نہیں،یہ تاریخ بدلنے کا لمحہ ہے۔قرآن یاد دلاتا ہے: "اور تمہیں کیا معلوم وہ کٹھن راستہ کیا ہے؟وہ ہے کسی قیدی کو آزاد کرانا"(البلد: 11–13)@OfficialDGISPR #FreeAafia #BringAafiaHome pic.twitter.com/dhtQ6DhnDv— Aafia Movement (@Aafiamovement) June 18, 2025 In January this year, the outgoing US President Joe Biden also refused to grant clemency to Aafia Siddiqui. The US government informed the Islamabad High Court that Siddiqui’s clemency petition, submitted with claims of new evidence and humanitarian concerns about her health, was rejected. In September this year, the Islamabad High Court formed to hear the case of Aafia Siddiqui, was dissolved as Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas declined to hear the petition and urged the formation of a larger bench. The petition was filed by Aafia Siddiqui’s sister, Fauzia Siddique. Earlier, a contempt notice was issued to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his cabinet for failing to comply with previous court orders and filing their response in the case. ‘Lady al-Qaeda’ Aafia Siddiqui: Victim of human rights violation or Islamic terrorist? Aafia Siddiqui is a 52-years-old terrorist of Pakistani origin. Born in Karachi, Siddiqui moved to the US in 1990 on a student visa. She got her bachelor’s degree in biology from MIT and a PhD in neuroscience from Brandies University in 2001. Aafia’s mother worked as an Islamic educator and politician and her father a neurosurgeon. During her time in Boston, Aafia Siddiqui volunteered with Islamic ‘charities’ including the Al-Kifah Center which was found to be linked to the al-Qaeda. Siddiqui also expressed strong anti-American opinions after the 9/11 Islamic terror attack that killed numerous innocent people. She also expressed support for Jihad. The FBI questioned Siddiqui and her then-husband, Amjad Khan, about their suspicious purchases like night-vision goggles, and manuals on explosives, body armour and 45-military-style books including The Anarchist’s Arsenal. During his FBI interview, Amjad Khan claimed that he brought these materials for camping and hunting. Amidst the FBI investigation, Aafia and her husband divorced and she returned to Pakistan with her three children. In March 2023, Siddiqui and her children vanished in Karachi, Pakistan. Initially, Pakistani authorities acknowledged detaining her for questioning over her alleged al-Qaeda links, only to later deny involvement. In May 2004, the US FBI issued a worldwide alert, naming Aafia Siddiqui one of its first female “most-wanted” terrorists, alleging that she was an al-Qaeda terrorist and courier. Her whereabouts between 2003 and 2008 remain disputed. While a journalist who supported Siddiqui, Yvonne Ridley, claimed that Aafia was abducted and secretly tortured in places like Bagram Air Base, the US Department of Justice said that she hid in Afghanistan-Pakistan border areas with the family of al-Qaeda jihadi terrorist and 9/11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Later, Siddiqui married Khalid Sheikh’s nephew, Ammar al-Baluchi. Although Aafia’s sister Fauzia Siddiqui denies the marriage ever took place, however, both Pakistani and US intelligence, al-Baluchi’s family, as well as Aafia herself confirmed that the marriage indeed happened. Siddiqui confirmed this later during her FBI interviews. In 2008, she was detained by Afghan authorities. According to the Department of Justice, they had found a number of items in her possession, including handwritten notes that mentioned a mass-casualty attack. There was a list of various locations such as Plum Island, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge in the US, including in the items. As per an official complaint signed by Mehtab Syed, Special Agent of the FBI in 2008, on the evening of 17th July 2008, officers of the Ghazni Province Afghanistan National Police (“ANP”) discovered Aafia Siddiqui along with a teenage boy, outside the Ghazni governor’s compound. ANP officers questioned Siddiqui in the local dialects of Dari and Pashtu. However, she did not respond. Since Siddiqui spoke in Urdu, the officials suspected that she was a foreigner. The ANP officials searched her handbag and found n

Sep 15, 2025 0

Who is ‘Lady al-Qaeda’ Aafia Siddiqui, and why is she serving an 86-year jail term in the US: All you need to know

From a Pakistani neuroscientist to the infamous ‘Lady al-Qaeda’, Aafia Siddiqui, continues to garner support and sympathy from Pakistani politicians and ‘human rights’ activists despite her Jihadi terror linked past. Aafia Siddiqui is currently serving an 86-year prison sentence in a Texas jail in the United States. Siddiqui convicted in 2010 of attempted murder of US officials in Afghanistan. 

The hopes for her repatriation to Pakistan rekindled when Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited the US for a White House dinner with President Donald Trump in April this year after days after India defeated Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. However, Munir did not raise the matter with Trump.

In January this year, the outgoing US President Joe Biden also refused to grant clemency to Aafia Siddiqui. The US government informed the Islamabad High Court that Siddiqui’s clemency petition, submitted with claims of new evidence and humanitarian concerns about her health, was rejected.

In September this year, the Islamabad High Court formed to hear the case of Aafia Siddiqui, was dissolved as Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas declined to hear the petition and urged the formation of a larger bench. The petition was filed by Aafia Siddiqui’s sister, Fauzia Siddique. Earlier, a contempt notice was issued to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his cabinet for failing to comply with previous court orders and filing their response in the case.

‘Lady al-Qaeda’ Aafia Siddiqui: Victim of human rights violation or Islamic terrorist?

Aafia Siddiqui is a 52-years-old terrorist of Pakistani origin. Born in Karachi, Siddiqui moved to the US in 1990 on a student visa. She got her bachelor’s degree in biology from MIT and a PhD in neuroscience from Brandies University in 2001. Aafia’s mother worked as an Islamic educator and politician and her father a neurosurgeon. During her time in Boston, Aafia Siddiqui volunteered with Islamic ‘charities’ including the Al-Kifah Center which was found to be linked to the al-Qaeda. Siddiqui also expressed strong anti-American opinions after the 9/11 Islamic terror attack that killed numerous innocent people. She also expressed support for Jihad.

The FBI questioned Siddiqui and her then-husband, Amjad Khan, about their suspicious purchases like night-vision goggles, and manuals on explosives, body armour and 45-military-style books including The Anarchist’s Arsenal. During his FBI interview, Amjad Khan claimed that he brought these materials for camping and hunting. Amidst the FBI investigation, Aafia and her husband divorced and she returned to Pakistan with her three children.

In March 2023, Siddiqui and her children vanished in Karachi, Pakistan. Initially, Pakistani authorities acknowledged detaining her for questioning over her alleged al-Qaeda links, only to later deny involvement. In May 2004, the US FBI issued a worldwide alert, naming Aafia Siddiqui one of its first female “most-wanted” terrorists, alleging that she was an al-Qaeda terrorist and courier. Her whereabouts between 2003 and 2008 remain disputed. While a journalist who supported Siddiqui, Yvonne Ridley, claimed that Aafia was abducted and secretly tortured in places like Bagram Air Base, the US Department of Justice said that she hid in Afghanistan-Pakistan border areas with the family of al-Qaeda jihadi terrorist and 9/11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Later, Siddiqui married Khalid Sheikh’s nephew, Ammar al-Baluchi. Although Aafia’s sister Fauzia Siddiqui denies the marriage ever took place, however, both Pakistani and US intelligence, al-Baluchi’s family, as well as Aafia herself confirmed that the marriage indeed happened. Siddiqui confirmed this later during her FBI interviews.

In 2008, she was detained by Afghan authorities. According to the Department of Justice, they had found a number of items in her possession, including handwritten notes that mentioned a mass-casualty attack. There was a list of various locations such as Plum Island, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge in the US, including in the items.

As per an official complaint signed by Mehtab Syed, Special Agent of the FBI in 2008, on the evening of 17th July 2008, officers of the Ghazni Province Afghanistan National Police (“ANP”) discovered Aafia Siddiqui along with a teenage boy, outside the Ghazni governor’s compound. ANP officers questioned Siddiqui in the local dialects of Dari and Pashtu. However, she did not respond. Since Siddiqui spoke in Urdu, the officials suspected that she was a foreigner.

The ANP officials searched her handbag and found numerous documents describing the creation of explosives, chemical weapons, and other weapons involving biological material and radiological agents. Aafia Siddiqui’s papers included “descriptions of various landmarks in the United States, including in New York City.

In addition, among Siddiqui’s personal effects were documents detailing United States military assets, excerpts from the Anarchist’s Arsenal, and a one gigabyte digital media storage device (thumb drive).” She also possessed numerous chemical substances in gel and liquid form that were sealed in bottles and glass jars.

On 18th July 2008, two FBI special agents, a US Army Warrant Officer (the “Warrant Officer”), a US Army Captain (the “Captain”), and US military interpreters, arrived at the Afghan facility where Siddiqui was held. The officers did not know that Aafia Siddiqui was held here “unsecured” and behind a curtain. The Warrant Officer sat and kept his loaded but safe US Army M-4 rifle on the floor. Soon after, Siddiqui appeared before the Captain with the Warrant Officer’s rile and pointed it towards the Captain. A struggle to snatch the rifle from her ensued. She allegedly yelled in English, “Get the f&*k out of here”, as she fired the rifle.

Siddiqui was shot at least once; however, she continued to kick and assault the officials while shouting “Allahu Akbar”. Aafia Siddiqui was also yelling in English that she wanted to kill Americans. “May the blood of [unintelligible] be directly on your [head/hands]” and “I am going to kill all you Americans,” she allegedly said.

It was only after Aafia Siddiqui lost consciousness, that the situation came in control and she was provided medical attention. Siddiqui was booked on two counts of attempted murder, assault, and weapons charges.

On 23rd September 2010, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, announced that Aafia Siddiqui has been sentenced in Manhattan federal court to 86 years in prison for the attempted murder and assault of U.S. nationals and U.S. officers and employees in Afghanistan. Judge Richard Berman found guilty Aafia Siddiqui guilty of all charges brought up against her. Judge Berman cited Siddiqui’s ‘high intelligence’ and al-Qaeda links as aggravating factors.

She is currently serving an 86-year prison sentence for attacking US Army and FBI personnel in Afghanistan.

Interestingly, Aafia Siddiqui has been a deeply antisemitic person and even during her trial, she disrupted proceedings by claiming that there was a Jewish conspiracy at play against her. She even demanded DNA tests for jurors saying that if they were from Israel or ‘Zionists’, the trial won’t be fair.

“If they have a Zionist or Israeli background . . . they are all mad at me. I have a feeling everyone here is them [sic] — subject to genetic testing. They should be excluded if you want to be fair,” Siddiqui told the judge.

Synagogue attack, al-Qaeda’s prisoner exchange offer, demands by human rights groups and Islamist outfits and sister Fowzia Siddiqui’s legal battle: Islamists from all walks of life have been seeking Aafia Siddiqui’s release

Many ‘human rights’ advocacy groups both in Pakistan and the US as well as Islamist outfits project Aafia Siddiqui as a ‘victim’, however, in 2022, a Jewish synagogue in Texas, was attacked by Islamic terrorists, including one Akram, who sought Siddiqui’s release. On 15th January 2022, Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas was attacked by Islamic terrorists who took the Jewish people who came for there for a Sabbath morning service, as hostage and demanded Aafia Siddiqui’s release from prison as a condition for freeing the hostages, including one Jewish Rabbi.

Besides being a Jewish place-of-worship, the Colleyville synagogue was also in vicinity of the Federal Medical Center Carswell in Fort Worth, where Siddiqui was imprisoned. As the Jewish sabbath program was being live-streamed, when jihadi Akram took four people hostages, the authorities monitored his anti-America, antisemitic and Jihadist rants. The standoff persisted for 10 to 11 hours, during which Akram continuously demanded Aafia Siddiqui’s release. Eventually, jihadi Akram was fatally shot by FBI officers and hostages were rescued unharmed.

The FBI classified this incident as a “terrorism-related” and a hate crime, driven by antisemitism and Islamic jihadist ideology. Investigation into Akram’s internet history revealed interests in Aafia Siddiqui’s case, gun stores, information about Rabbis in Texas.

Before the Colleyville synagogue attacks, Islamic terrorist groups including al-Qaeda, ISIS and the Afghan Taliban have on many occasions offered to release American hostages in exchange for Aafia Siddiqui. In 2014, the Islamic State (ISIS) sought Siddiqui’s release in exchange for American hostages, journalist James Foley and human rights activist Kayla Mueller. However, the US always dismissed these offers and both Foley and Mueller were killed by ISIS jihadis in separate incidents.

Islamic terrorist groups who have vowed to kill Kafirs, have sought Siddiqui’s release and often cite her in their propaganda materials as a symbol of Muslim ‘victimhood’. International ‘human rights’ groups notorious for sympathising with Islamists, have advocated also for Siddiqui’s release.

Unsurprisingly, Pakistani governments and politicians have also advocated for Siddiqui’s release. Given Pakistani political and military establishment takes pride in harbouring Islamic terrorists, Pakistani senate in an 2018 resolution, hailed ‘Lady al-Qaeda’ Aafia Siddiqui as “Daughter of Pakistan”.

From then Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s 2010 promises, PML(N) leader and former PM Nawaz Sharif’s pledges, Pakistani leaders have lobbied the US to seek Siddiqui’s release. Resolutions, rhetoric and requests have been Pakistan’s tactics over the years to secure the al-Qaeda terrorist’s release. Last year, a high-level delegation comprising senators from Pakistan visited the US to seek Siddiqui’s release.

Last year, PM Shehbaz Sharif wrote a letter to then US President Biden for her release on humanitarian grounds. However, Biden denied Sharif’s request, dashing hopes to secure Siddiqui’s release for Trump’s inauguration.

In July this year, Pakistani foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, sparked controversy by comparing Aafia Siddiqui’s case with that of jailed former PM Imran Khan, calling it a matter of “due process”.

Recently, Aafia Siddiqui’s lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, said that he plans to file a fresh appeal in New York, claiming that he has found video evidence of the incident which allegedly disapproves the prosecution’s accusations.

Clive Stafford Smith (L), Aafia Siddiqui (R)

Besides, jihadi groups, and Pakistan government, US and UK-based ‘human rights’ and Islamist groups like CAIR, Amnesty International, CAGE International, Code Pink, among others have advocated for the release of ‘Lady al-Qaeda’.

Notably, just two months prior to the Texas synagogue attack, CAIR International (Council on American-Islamic Relations) had sought the release of Siddiqui and held events and rallies in her support.  CAIR Texas DFW organize multiple online and offline campaigns to show support for Siddiqui and also raise funds for her legal battle against the conviction.

OpIndia earlier reported about the Hinduphobic proclivities of CAIR International, their support for crowdfunding scam accused ‘journalist’ Rana Ayyub, and their backing for the extremely Hinduphobic ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva‘ conference.

In 2022, Rutgers University and the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) published a study which showed that there was a massive spike in Twitter activity for ‘Free Aafia Movement’ ahead of the attack on the Jewish synagogue in Texas.

Islamist propaganda outlets including Al Jazeera and Crescent International have also been pushing narratives favouring Aafia Siddiqui.

Dr Fowzia Siddiqui, the sister of convicted al-Qaeda terrorist Aafia Siddiqui, has been running the “Aafia Movement” to secure her release. As their website, “The Aafia Movement is an international initiative dedicated to securing justice and freedom for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani-Muslim woman currently serving an unjust 86-year sentence in U.S. federal prison.”

Source: The Aafia Movement

The website features, articles and illustrations telling Aafia Siddiqui’s supposed story of how an educated Pakistani-Muslim woman and a ‘Hafiza’, the woman who has memorised Quran and partook in Muslim rights activism, was ‘victimised, and subjected to ‘atrocities’ by the American authorities in the name of ‘war on terror’. There is another website, “The Aafia Foundation”, dedicated to the same purpose.

Back in 2023, Fowzia Siddiqui and lawyer Clive Stafford Smith alleged that Aafia “holds no special importance for the US” and it’s the government of Pakistan that didn’t do enough to bring her back. Smith even advocated for exchanging Aafia for Shakeel Afridi. Afridi has been jailed in Pakistan for many years over allegations of helping the US in tracing the Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden who was killed in Abbottabad in 2012. Predictably, Pakistani government, showed no interest in this prisoner swap proposal.

At present, Aafia Movement employs social media, interviews, seminars, documentary screenings, awareness campaigns and tours, fundraisers and other activities to advocate for Aafia Siddiqui’s release from prison. Amusingly, Islamic terror groups, Islamist advocacy groups, Islamist apologist ‘human rights’ groups and jihadi sympathisers in general, have been calling Aafia Siddiqui’s incarceration a ‘miscarriage’ and ‘travesty’ of justice, peddling Muslim victimhood and Islamophobia narratives while Aafia’s family denies her links to al-Qaeda or any Islamic terror group altogether.

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