Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota participated in events with Muslim-American advocacy groups that have called for Aafia Siddiqui’s release from a Texas prison.
The gunman who took hostages inside a Texas synagogue on Tuesday demanded the release of Siddiqui, who has often been referred to in the counterterrorism world as “Lady al-Qaeda.” Siddiqui was convicted in 2010 of attempting to murder U.S. nationals, according to the FBI.
In 2008, Siddiqui was “detained by Afghan authorities, who found a number of items in her possession, including handwritten notes that referred to a ‘mass casualty attack’ and that listed various locations in the United States, including Plum Island, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge,” said an FBI press release about her conviction.
According to Foreign Policy Magazine, the Taliban offered to trade captive U.S. Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl for her.
In the past, ISIS has offered to trade prisoners in exchange for Siddiqui.
According to NBC News, “there have long been reports that she married the nephew of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, but those have not been confirmed.”
In November 2021, the Council on American-Islamic Relations and American Muslims for Palestine held a Free Dr. Aafia Washington D.C. Advocacy Day to press Congress for the release of the convicted terrorist.
In April of last year, Tlaib joined Dr. Osama Abuirshaid, executive director of the AMP, and other advocates for a discussion about Palestinian rights.
Just the News reached out to Tlaib’s office and asked if the congresswoman supports the effort by AMP to free Siddiqui. Tlaib’s office did not respond before publication.
CAIR honored Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar in December as “American Muslim Public Servant of 2021” at the organization’s virtual gala. Omar’s office did not respond when asked if the congresswoman supports CAIR’s effort to free Siddiqui.
