October 04, 2008	Saturday	Shawwal 04, 1429

NEW YORK, Oct 3: Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui has been transferred to federal medical centre in Texas from the Brooklyn detention centre in New York.

She was sent to the psychological evaluation facilitation on Sunday on orders from Judge Richard Berman to determine if she was “medically fit and mentally competent” to stand trial.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Hussain Haqqani has asked the American authorities to return Dr Aafia to Pakistan because the best possible treatment is available there. According to the ambassador, the psychological clinic at Texas is not set up to provide treatment but is merely a clinic for diagnostic tests.

Dr Aafia’s lawyer in New York pleaded that she should not be sent to Texas where she could undergo only psychiatric examination, adding that she also required medical treatment.

Ms Siddiqui has not attended court proceedings since September 4 and the authorities have informed the court that she has boycotted the proceedings to protest against her body searches.

She was shot in the abdomen by an officer after allegedly grabbing a US soldier’s gun during questioning in July and was brought to the United States to face charges of attempted murder and assault.

It is unclear how she came to be in Afghanistan. US officials say police found documents in her handbag on making explosives, excerpts from the book “Anarchist’s Arsenal” and descriptions of New York City landmarks.

Her lawyers say she may be a victim of torture and believe she was kidnapped with her children in March 2003 in Karachi and secretly held in custody for the past five years by either Pakistani or US authorities.

Ms Siddiqui’s next hearing is scheduled for December 17 in Manhattan federal court.