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Aafia’s son believed to be in Afghan custody
New York—The 11-year-old son of Aafia Siddiqui is
believed to be in custody, U.S. authorities confirmed on
Tuesday, according to some media reports.
US Attorney Michael Garcia notified a defence lawyer for Aafia in a
letter dated Friday that the
boy, believed to be U.S. citizen Ahmed Siddiqui, was taken into
custody in mid-July when authorities arrested
his mother outside an Afghan governor’s compound.
Garcia said authorities can’t say for sure because the boy claimed
that his parents were killed in
Pakistan October 2005 earthquake and that he had been travelling with
Aafia since then, though he knew her as
Saliha.
Garcia said FBI agents last Thursday compared pictures of Aafia’s
three children with the boy and
realized he might be her son. He said a preliminary DNA analysis
demonstrated that the boy was Aafia’s son,
but further tests were under way to ensure the finding was correct.
A copy of the letter, addressed to defence lawyer Elizabeth Fink, was
released by the government
Tuesday, though some parts of it were blacked out.
The US government has said Aafia was with a teenage boy when she was
taken into custody in
Afghanistan. Garcia said the boy has been in the custody of Afghan
officials since July 17. One of Aafia’s
lawyers, Elaine Whitfield Sharp, said if the boy is her son he should
be returned to his relatives. Aafia
Siddiqui, who has pleaded not guilty, is scheduled to appear in court
again next month.—AP |
