The attorney who currently represents Aafia Siddiqui — the woman whose case investigators believe could be a motivating factor for the suspect in the synagogue hostage situation — said Saturday “she has absolutely no involvement with” the taking of hostages in Texas.
“She does not want any violence perpetrated against any human being, especially in her name,” Marwa Elbially told CNN by phone. “It obviously has nothing to do with Dr. Siddiqui or her family.”
More on this: Two law enforcement officials told CNN that the man who took hostages at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville appeared to be motivated by a desire to free Siddiqui.
She is serving an 86-year sentence at a federal prison in Fort Worth after being found guilty of seven charges relating to a terror interrogation in Afghanistan. Siddiqui was accused of stealing a US Army soldier’s rifle and firing on members of the American interrogation team, who were not hit. The judge in her US trial ruled that a terrorism enhancement applied to her sentence.
Siddiqui’s appeals are exhausted, according to Elbially, who has petitioned that her client either be pardoned or allowed to serve the remainder of her sentence in her home country of Pakistan. Elbially says she has not been able to speak to Siddiqui since the Texas hostage situation began.
“I'm really horrified by what's happening,” said Elbially. “It's awful to see her name being tarnished.”