Aafia Siddiqui

Aafia Siddiqui is a Pakistani citizen and U.S.-educated neuroscientist who allegedly belonged to an al-Qaeda cell in Pakistan. She is currently serving an 86-year sentence in U.S. federal prison for assaulting U.S. federal agents, employees, and nationals during a 2008 interrogation in Afghanistan. “Aafia Siddiqui Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 86 Years for Attempting to Murder U.S. Nationals in Afghanistan and Six Additional Crimes,” U.S. Department of Justice, September 23, 2010, ; David Ingram, “Pakistani woman embraced by Islamic State seeks to drop U.S. legal appeal,” Reuters, September 18, 2014, .× The Pakistani government has lobbied for her release while al-Qaeda and other extremist groups have repeatedly demanded Siddiqui’s release in exchange for hostages. Dean Nelson and Raf Sanchez, “‘Free British hostages’ say family of Isil poster girl,” Telegraph (London), September 19, 2014, ; Holly McKay, “Pakistani PM opens door to prisoner swap with US to free ‘hero’ doctor who helped track bin Laden,” Fox News, July 23, 2019, .× In 1995, Siddiqui married Mohammed Amjad Khan, a doctor from Karachi, Pakistan. The couple lived in Boston while Khan finished her schooling. Khan later told the Boston Globe that he stopped bringing guests to the couple’s home because Siddiqui would try to convert them to Islam. The couple attended the Islamic Society of Boston’s Prospect Street mosque, whose attendees later included Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev . Siddiqui increasingly blamed the United States for the suffering of Muslims around the world. Khan told the Globe that Siddiqui began watching Islamist propaganda videos online and training to go overseas. By the time Siddiqui finished her doctoral dissertation in 2001, she had become focused on “jihad against America,” according to Khan. Sally Jacobs, “The woman ISIS wanted back,” Boston Globe , December 28, 2014, .× In May 2002, FBI agents questioned the couple about online purchases of night vision goggles, body armor, and military books. Declan Walsh, “The mystery of Dr Aafia Siddiqui,” Guardian (London), November 23, 2009, .× Khan and Siddiqui moved to Pakistan in June 2002. They divorced that August before the birth of their third child. Declan Walsh, “The mystery of Dr Aafia Siddiqui,” Guardian (London), November 23, 2009, ; “Aafia Siddiqui Indicted for Attempting to Kill United States Nationals in Afghanistan and Six Additional Charges,” U.S. Department of Justice, September 2, 2008, .× Siddiqui then allegedly became involved with an al-Qaeda cell in Karachi led by 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) that was planning attacks on the United States, Pakistan, and Great Britain. That December, Siddiqui returned to the United States for 10 days under the pretense of applying for academic positions, leaving her three children in Pakistan with her mother. Siddiqui opened a U.S. post office box under the name of al-Qaeda agent Majid Khan, another member of Siddiqui’s cell. Gordon Rayner, Bill Gardner, Tom Whitehead, and Ben Farmer, “Alan Henning charity campaigned for release of ‘Lady al-Qaeda’ Aafia Siddiqui,” Telegraph (London), September 16, 2014, ; Declan Walsh, “The mystery of Dr Aafia Siddiqui,” Guardian (London), November 23, 2009, .× Khan was arrested in Pakistan in 2003 and named Siddiqui as an accomplice during subsequent CIA interrogations. Jason Ryan, “Alleged Maryland Al Qaeda Operative for Second Wave 9/11 Attacks Pleads Guilty,” February 29, 2012, .× In early 2003 in Pakistan, Siddiqui married Ammar al-Baluchi, a nephew of KSM. “Aafia Siddiqui Forensic Psychological Evaluation,” IntelWire, accessed March 4, 2020,, 3, ; Declan Walsh, “The mystery of Dr Aafia Siddiqui,” Guardian (London), November 23, 2009, .× According to interrogations of multiple prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Siddiqui’s cell planned to attack U.S. economic targets using explosives smuggled into the country disguised as clothing imports. According to an FBI-Joint Terrorism T