Shakil Afridi
Shakil Afridi or Shakeel Afridi is a Pakistani physician who allegedly helped the CIA run a fake vaccine program in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in order to confirm Osama bin Laden's presence in the city by obtaining DNA samples.[1] Details of the doctors activities emerged during the Pakistani investigation of the raid on Bin Laden's residence, Operation Neptune Spear.[2] He was arrested from Torkham border while trying to escape the country days after the raid that killed bin Laden.[3]
Biography
Dr Afridi came from a humble background, graduated from the Khyber Medical College, Peshawar in 1990 and was working as the doctor in-charge of Khyber Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The doctor has a family.[4] In July 2011 Dr Afridi was described as being in his late 40s.[5]
Details of the activities Dr Afridi is accused of
Colleagues at Jamrud Hospital in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber tribal were suspicious of Dr. Shakeel Afridi's, the hospital’s chief surgeon, absences which he explained as “business” to attend to in Abbottabad. Dr Afridi was accused of having taken a half-dozen World Health Organization cooler boxes without authorization. The containers are for inoculation campaigns, but no immunization drives were underway in Abbottabad or the Khyber agency.[6][7]
US reaction to Dr Afridi's arrest
The US Secretary of Defense, who was then CIA Chief Leon Panetta, has confirmed the role of Afridi in ascertaining the whereabouts of Bin Laden inside the compound in Abottabad. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that Pakistan has no justification for holding Dr Shakil Afridi.[8] Rep. Dana Rohrabacher asked President Obama to intercede on Afridi's behalf[9] , introduced a bills, H.R.4069 - To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Dr. Shakeel Afridi[10] and H.R. 3901 - declaring Dr Afridi a naturalized US citizen [11].
Pakistani reaction
On October 6, 2011, the Pakistani commission investigating Bin Laden's death recommended that he be charged with “conspiracy against the state of Pakistan and high treason” on the basis of available evidence.[3] Pakistan seized Dr Afridi's assets. [12] Alfridi's residence was sealed by Pakistani authorities and his family moved to an undisclosed location.[13] The 15 lady health workers, that assisted Dr Afridi in the fake vaccination program, were also declared not fit for any future employment.[14]
Protest by aid groups
Humanitarian organizations including Médecins Sans Frontières protested the use of a medical charity for espionage purposes believing it would cause suspicion of such organizations in the future and endanger personal working on such projects claiming 'threatened immunisation work around the world'.[15][16]
See also
- CIA activities in Pakistan
- Afridi (Pashtun tribe)
- Jamrud, located in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas where the hospital Afridi was the chief surgeon of.
External links:
- InterAction Letter to the CIA criticizing he use of a medical charity for espionage purposes.
- Pakistan Doctor, Who Helped CIA, Accused Of Treason, NPR, 2011-10-07]
References
- ^ "Bin Laden death: 'CIA doctor' accused of treason". BBC. 6 October 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
- ^ Pakistan holds doctor who tried to collect bin Laden DNA
- ^ a b "Pakistan: Doctor Who Aided C.I.A. Should Face Charges, Panel Says". The New York Times. 6 October 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
- ^ Pakistan snubs US over Osama informer
- ^ US pressures Islamabad to free doctor who helped CIA track down Bin Laden
- ^ The Pakistani Doctor Who Helped the CIA Nail Bin Laden
- ^ Abbottabad Commission orders treason case against Dr Afridi
- ^ No justification to detain Dr Shakil: Clinton
- ^ US Congressman to Obama: Don't abandon doctor who helped CIA
- ^ H.R.4069 - To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Dr. Shakeel Afridi.
- ^ H. R. 3901
- ^ Shakeel Afridi’s assets siezed: sources
- ^ Dr Shakeel Afridi’s residence sealed in Peshawar
- ^ KP govt disqualifies Dr Shakil Afridi for job
- ^ CIA's fake vaccination programme criticised by Médecins Sans Frontières
- ^ Aid groups protest to CIA over bin Laden scheme