Wanted Women

by Deborah Scroggins

  172 “She spoke Dutch”: Jutta Chorus and Ahmet Olgun, In godsnaam: Het jaar van Theo van Gogh (Amsterdam: Contact, 2005), p. 106.

  172 After the debate: Hirsi Ali, Infidel, p. 275.

  172 Ayaan wasn’t a polished writer: Chorus and Olgun, In godsnaam, p. 107.

  172 It was published: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, “Laat ons niet in de steek, gun ons een Voltaire,” Trouw, November 24, 2001. An expanded version of the article appears in English in The Caged Virgin: An Emancipation Proclamation for Women (New York: Free Press, 2006), pp. 35–41. The quotes here are taken from The Caged Virgin.

  173 In the years that followed: See, e.g., Ayaan’s debate with Farid Esak, NIO Dutch Muslim Television, April 4, 2002; Joel Voss, “ De Verlichting dicteert niet, ze ziet nuance,” Trouw, May 25, 2006; and Pankaj Mishra, “Islamism: How Should the West Respond to Muslim Scholars?” The New Yorker, June 7, 2010.

  174 “To say that ‘Islam is the problem’ ”: “Do Western Europeans Hold a Grudge Against Muslims: A Debate,” NMO, August 4, 2002.

  174 She appeared: George Packer tells Mahmoud Mohammed Taha’s story in “The Moderate Martyr,” The New Yorker, September 11, 2006.

  174 She also seemed not to know: Nasr Hamed Abu Zeid described his exile in Leiden to Nadia Abou El-Magd in “When the Professor Can’t Teach,” Al-Ahram Weekly, June 15–21, 2000.

  175 Human rights activists: For more about the activists mentioned, see Fatima Mernissi, The Veil and the Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation of Women’s Rights in Islam, trans. Mary Jo Lakeland (New York: Perseus, 1991); Khalida Messoud and Elisabeth Schemla, Unbowed: An Algerian Woman Confronts Islamic Fundamentalism, trans. Anne C. Vila (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998); and Shirin Ebadi with Azada Moeveni, Iran Awakening: A Memoir of Revolution and Hope (New York: Random House, 2006).

  Four

  177 Osama bin Laden and his fighters: National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (New York: W. W. Norton, 2005), pp. 276–277.

  177 As the various foreign jihadis: Mohammed Shehzad, “Al-Qaeda Next Door,” Hindustan Times, August 24, 2004.

  177 She had been a speaker: United States of America v. Aafia Siddiqui, Document 256, August 19, 2010, p. 22.

  177 Jose Padilla: David Adams, “U.S. Charges Long-Detained Citizen,” St. Petersburg Times, December 22, 2005.

  178 Another American resident: Manuel Roig-Franzia and Dan Eggen, “From Bookish Boy to Focus of FBI Manhunt; Terror Suspect Labeled Worst Threat to U.S.,” Washington Post, April 14, 2003.

  Five

  179 Ayaan’s article about Voltaire: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Infidel: My Life (New York: Free Press, 2007), pp. 276–277.

  179 Job Cohen: See Russell Shorto’s profile of Job Cohen, “The Integrationist,” The New York Times Magazine, May 28, 2010.

  180 “I was learning”: Hirsi Ali, Infidel, p. 277.

  180 “He blew me away”: Ibid., p. 278.

  180 “looks like a fashion model”: Andrew Anthony, “Taking the Fight to Islam,” Observer, February 4, 2007.

  180 Polls show: In a study of a series of worldwide polls, the social scientists Pippa Norris and Ronald Inglehart found that Muslims and Westerners disagreed more about sexuality than any other issue. See their book Sacred and Secular: Religion and Politics Worldwide (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2004). See also Paul M. Sniderman and Louk Hagendoorn, When Ways of Life Collide: Multiculturalism and Its Discontents in the Netherlands (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2006), p. 29.

  Six

  184 A few days before: Daniel Pearl, “Militants Still Operate Despite Pakistan’s Efforts—Groups Suspected in Attack on India’s Parliament Keep Going—Government’s Limited Actions Fuel Tensions with New Delhi,” Wall Street Journal, December 31, 2001; Kathy Gannon, “Al Rashid Trust Where Body Believed to Be Daniel Pearl’s Found Has a History with Al Qaida, Jaish-e-Mohammed,” Associated Press, May 17, 2002.

  184 Soon the ghastly video: Vince Horiuchi, “Grisly Site: Pearl Video on Web Stirs FBI Interest,” Salt Lake Tribune, May 21, 2002.

  184 Aafia usually followed: Justin Pope, “Software Company Tries to Survive Terrorism Investigation,” Associated Press, January 5, 2003; Farah Stockman, “Roxbury Address Eyed in Terrorism Probe,” Boston Globe, April 10, 2004.

  185 The Americans finally captured: George Tenet with Bill Harlow, At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA (New York: HarperCollins, 2007), p. 251.

  185 Abu Zubaydah also told them: Thomas Joscelyn, “The Zubaydah Dossier,” The Weekly Standard, August 17, 2009.

  186 Three or four weeks: “Remarks of Deputy Attorney General James Comey Regarding Jose Padilla,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 1, 2004.

  Seven

  190 A filmmaker: Karin Schagen, “Door het leven: Met de angst in het achterhoofd,” VPRO, November 1, 2002.

  190 Ayaan later wrote: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Infidel: My Life (New York: Free Press, 2007), p. 285.

  191 As the journalist Alies Pegtel: Alies Pegtel, “Schatje van de Grachtengordel,” HP/De Tijd, February 2, 2007.

  191 Steffie Kouters: Steffie Kouters, “Durf te Botsen,” De Volkskrant, April 11, 2002.

  193 On May 6, 2002: Quoted in Bruce Bawer, While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam Is Destroying the West from Within (New York: Doubleday, 2006), p. 169.

  193 Ayaan continued to wrap: Hirsi Ali, Infidel, pp. 280–281.

  194 “I would no longer”: Ibid., p. 282.

  194 Jaffe Vink had introduced: Pegtel, “Schatje van de Grachtengordel.”

  195 In early August: Hirsi Ali, Infidel, pp. 285–286.

  Eight

  199 Aafia recalled . . . in 2008: United States of America v. Aafia Siddiqui, Document 256, August 19, 2010, p. 15.

  Nine

  200 On the first anniversary: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Infidel: My Life (New York: Free Press, 2007), pp. 287–289.

  201 On September 18: “Hirsi Ali weg uit publiciteit na dreigementen,” De Volkskrant, September 18, 2002.

  204 Labor itself had: Alies Pegtel, “Schatje van de Grachtengordel,” HP/De Tijd, February 2, 2007.

  204 A day after: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, “PvdA onderschat het lijden van moslimvrouwen,” NRC Handelsblad, October 3, 2002.

  205 Soon after she left: Elma Verhey, “Tussen bedreigen en bedriegen,” Vrij Nederland, October 12, 2002.

  206 On October 16: “Hirsi Ali kandidaat Kamerlid voor VVD” and “Waarom ik de VVD verkies boven de PvdA,” De Volkskrant, October 31, 2002.

  206 Ayaan answered: Alies Pegtel, “Van links naar rechts,” HP/De Tijd, February 9, 2007.

  207 A Dutch reporter: Ibid.

  Ten

  210 She signed a statement: Divorce decree, Mohammed A. Khan and Aafia Siddiqui, October 21, 2002, issued by Karachi Town Union Council, copy in author’s files.

  Eleven

  211 She wrote: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, “Waarom ik de VVD verkies boven de PvdA,” De Volkskrant, October 31, 2002.

  211 Karin Schagen’s sympathetic portrait: Karin Schagen, “Door het leven: Met de angst in het achterhoofd,” VPRO, November 1, 2002.

  212 On November 9: Marlise Simons, “Behind the Veil: A Muslim Woman Speaks Out,” New York Times, November 9, 2002.

  212 Lea was making a name: Susanna Lea’s publishing successes are chronicled on her Web site, www.susannaleaassociates.com.

  213 She often bonded: Jutta Chorus and Ahmet Olgun, In godsnaam: Het jaar van Theo van Gogh (Amsterdam: Contact, 2005), p. 112.

  213 Kroes was smitten: Alies Pegtel, “Van links naar rechts,” HP/De Tijd, February 9, 2007.

  214 Ayaan has never made: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Infidel: My Life (New York: Free Press, 2007), p. 298.

  215 The filmmaker Eveline van Dijk: Eveline van Dijk’s home videos of Ayaan and her friends were later made into a documentary, “Ik ben Ayaan,” Profiel, May 19, 2006.

  217 “Those who fail to see�
�: Frits Bolkestein, “Integration,” a speech delivered at Rotterdam, January 5, 2003, www.fritsbolkestein.com/docs /speeches/20030105-integration_en.pdf.

  Twelve

  218 She later told the FBI: United States of America v. Aafia Siddiqui, Document 256, August 19, 2010, p. 11.

  218 The al-Rashid Trust: Pepe Escobar, “Anatomy of a ‘Terrorist’ NGO,” Asia Times, October 26, 2001.

  218 Aafia told the FBI: United States of America v. Aafia Siddiqui, Document 256, August 19, 2010, p. 22.

  219 Ali had been in touch: “Remarks of Deputy Attorney General James Comey Regarding Jose Padilla,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 1, 2004.

  219 Clean-shaven: “ ‘Ali ‘Abd ‘al-Aziz ‘Ali” (capsule biography released by the White House in September 2006), www.nefafoundation.org/ miscellaneous/FeaturedDocs/DNI_Ammar_al-Baluchi_Bio.pdf.

  220 Starting in the spring of 2000: “Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal—al-Baluchi, Ammar,” Combatant Status Review Tribunal, March 28, 2007, www.defense.gov/news/ISN10018 .pdf; National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (New York: W. W. Norton, 2005), pp. 236–237.

  220 After the 9/11 attacks: “ ‘Ali ‘Abd ‘al-Aziz ‘Ali”; Vikram Dodd, “Former Grammar School Boy Gets 13 Years for Shoe Bomb Plot: Repentant Islamist Broke with Militants and Confessed,” Guardian, April 23, 2005.

  220 Khan had moved to Baltimore: Katherine Shrader, “An Immigrant’s Journey from the Maryland Suburbs to a Cell at Guantanamo Bay,” Associated Press, March 21, 2007; Eric Rich and Dan Eggen, “From Baltimore Suburbs to a Secret CIA Prison; Family Learned Last Week That Man Was Among ‘High-Value’ Terrorism Suspects Moved to Guantanamo,” Washington Post, September 10, 2006.

  221 According to a secret assessment: U.S. Department of Defense, JTF-GTMO Detainee Assessment, June 13, 2008, http://wikileaks.ch /gitmo/pdf/pk/us9pk-010020dp.pdf.

  222 She told the FBI: United States of America v. Aafia Siddiqui, Document 256, August 19, 2010, p. 8.

  223 Given Aafia’s intense fear: United States of America v. Uzair Paracha, November 14, 2005, pp. 598–632.

  Thirteen

  225 The newspaper Trouw: Arjan Visser, “Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Politiek schadelijk voor mijn ideal,” Trouw, January 25, 2003. Ayaan’s replies to Visser’s questions are reprinted in English in Ayaan Hirsi Ali, The Caged Virgin: An Emancipation Proclamation for Women (New York: Free Press, 2006), pp. 79–87.

  226 She had been asked: Hirsi Ali, The Caged Virgin, p. 80.

  227 Gerrit Zalm and his: Alies Pegtel, “Van links naar rechts,” HP/De Tijd, February 9, 2007.

  228 “Because it’s true”: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Infidel: My Life (New York: Free Press, 2007), p. 305.

  228 “She spoke Dutch well”: Jutta Chorus and Ahmet Olgun, In godsnaam: Het jaar van Theo van Gogh (Amsterdam: Contact, 2005), p. 117.

  228 Theodor Holman held: “Ik ben Ayaan,” Profiel, May 19, 2006.

  230 “Gore and porn”: Rachel Halliburton, “Teenage Cults: Blood and Gore on the Web,” New Statesman, March 28, 2005.

  230 That night: Chorus and Olgun, In godsnaam, p. 23.

  Fourteen

  231 Like Aafia: David Rohde, “Pakistani Detainee Enjoyed Deep U.S. Roots,” New York Times, August 18, 2003.

  232 “We had friendly talks”: Ibid.

  232 Paracha later told: “Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal—Paracha, Saifullah,” Combatant Status Review Tribunal, November 12, 2004, http://projects.nytimes.com/guanta namo/detainees/1094-saifullah-paracha/document, pp. 1–19.

  233 U.S. military prosecutors: U.S. Department of Defense, “JTF-GTMO Detainee Assessment,” December 1, 2008, http://projects.nytimes .com/guantanamo/detainees/1094-saifullah-paracha.

  233 Paracha’s oldest son: United States of America v. Uzair Paracha, November 17, 2005, pp. 1060–1067.

  234 “A good sister”: Ibid., p. 1190.

  234 Uzair seems to have been: Ibid., p. 1243.

  234 Khan offered Uzair a lift: Ibid., p. 1243.

  Fifteen

  237 In her interview: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, The Caged Virgin: An Emancipation Proclamation for Women (New York: Free Press, 2006), p. 84.

  237 When a Belgian newspaper: Merlijn Doomernik, “Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Rede Gaat Altijd voor op Geloof,” De Standaard, September 30, 2006.

  238 From the day: Sam Cherribi, In the House of War: Dutch Islam Observed (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2010), pp. 188–189.

  238 On April 12, 2003: Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Geert Wilders, “Het is tijd voor een liberale jihad,” NRC Handelsblad, April 12, 2003.

  239 Only a few dozen: The AIVD spelled out its position on the jihadist threat facing the Netherlands in a series of reports available in English at www.aivd.nl/english/publications-press/aivd-publications.

  239 With its surveillance power: Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, “From Dawa to Jihad: The Various Threats from Radical Islam to the Democratic Legal Order,” December 2004, www.fas.org /irp/world/netherlands/dawa.pdf.

  240 The AIVD had recently: Janny Groen and Annieke Kranenberg, Women Warriors for Allah: An Islamist Network in the Netherlands, trans. Robert Naborn (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2010), pp. 47–59; European Union, “The ‘Hofstadgroep,’” April 15, 2007, www.transnationalterrorism.eu/tekst/publications/Hofstadgroep .pdf. The EU report concluded that the political, as opposed to personal, trigger cause of Bouyeri’s radicalization was the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the “(perceived) critique of Islam by politicians and opinion makers” in the Netherlands.

  240 The police were first called: Albert Benschop, “Jihad in the Netherlands: Chronicle of a Political Murder Foretold,” trans. Connie Menting, University of Amsterdam, first published 2004, modified 2007, www.sociosite.org/jihad_nl_en.php. The account of Bouyeri’s activities is taken from this source.

  242 A childhood friend: Ibid.

  242 Much later some women: Groen and Kranenberg, Women Warriors for Allah, p. 48.

  Sixteen

  243 Aafia didn’t know it: Dr. Hamid Manzoor, “Aafia Siddiqui Mystery—Extracting the Hard Facts,” Daily Times, July 10, 2010.

  243 The arrests began: George Tenet with Bill Harlow, At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA (New York: HarperCollins, 2007), p. 253; and Jane Mayer, The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals (New York: Doubleday, 2008), p. 270.

  243 Within hours: United States of America v. Uzair Paracha, November 21, 2005, p. 1285.

  243 Ali took one of those: Saifullah Paracha, Administrative Review Board Round One Transcripts, p. 44, http://projects.nytimes.com/guantanamo /detainees/1094-saifullah-paracha/documents/search?document _query=paracha.

  244 Or maybe: United States of America v. Aafia Siddiqui, Document 256, August 19, 2010, p. 13.

  244 Her husband: Christina Lamb, “Was Khalid Arrested Where the FBI Said He Was?” Sunday Times, March 9, 2003.

  244 The CIA found: Barton Gellman, “Al Qaeda Near Biological, Chemical Arms Production,” Washington Post, March 23, 2003.

  245 Majid Khan was arrested: Ali Khan, “Statement of Ali Khan,” in Verbatim Transcript of Combatant Status Review Tribunal Hearing on ISN 10020, p. 12.

  245 On March 10: American Civil Liberties Union, “Sanctioned Bias: Racial Profiling Since 9/11,” February 2004, p. 14, www.aclu.org /national-security/racial-profiling-911-report.

  245 The news that: United States of America v. Aafia Siddiqui, Document 256, August 19, 2010, p. 8; Document 258-1, August 19, 2010, p. 6.

  245 Aafia told Ismat: Ibid., 258-1, pp. 12–13, 15.

  246 “His female family members”: United States of America v. Aafia Siddiqui, Document 256, August 17, 2010, p. 8.

  246 On March 17: “Sanctioned Bias: Racial Profiling Since 9/11,” pp. 14–15.

  247 The FBI posted pictures: Ralph Ranalli, “F
BI Seeks to Question Former MIT Student,” Boston Globe, March 20, 2003.

  247 Majid Khan’s friend: Eric Rich, “Terrorism Suspect Alleges Mental Torture,” Washington Post, May 16, 2007.

  247 Five days later: Colin Miner, “FBI Hunts Down Suspected Terrorist,” Sun, March 21, 2003; Dave Wedge, “Hub Doctor’s Wife Sought as Suspect,” Boston Herald, March 22, 2003; David Weber, “Suspect’s Neighbors Quizzed,” Boston Herald, March 23, 2003; Allen Lengel, “FBI Seeking Pakistani Pair over Possible Al Qaeda Link,” Washington Post, March 26, 2003; “FBI: Terrorists Can Make Simple, Deadly Chemical Weapons,” Dow Jones International News, March 26, 2003.

  247 On March 28: United States of America v. Uzair Paracha, November 17, 2005, pp. 1006–1012.

  248 After two days: United States of America v. Uzair Paracha, November 14, 2005, pp. 364–412.

  248 The very next day: Deborah Scroggins, “The Most Wanted Woman in the World,” Vogue, March 2005.

  248 On March 31: “Pak Police Arrest Woman for Suspected al-Qaida Links,” Press Trust of India, March 31, 2003.

  248 In 2011, lawyers: International Justice Network, “Aafia Siddiqui: Just the Facts,” February 14, 2011, www.ijnetwork.org/ijn-news-news room-53/240-ijnetwork-releases-report-aafia-siddiqui-just-the-facts.

  249 In the United States: “FBI Wary That al-Qaida May Start Using Women in Attacks,” Dow Jones International, April 1, 2003; Jerry Seper, “FBI Steps Up Hunt for Pakistani,” Washington Times, April 2, 2003.

  249 On April 9: Azfar-ul-Ashfaque, “Mystery Surrounds Disappearance of Pakistani Doctor,” News, April 9, 2003.

  250 The next mention: B. Muralidhar Reddy, “Pak Promised More to Help Fight Terrorism,” Hindu, April 17, 2003.

  250 Ismat quickly called: Chitra Ragavan, “All in the Family: A Missing Mom, an Estranged Husband—and Al-Qaeda?” U.S. News & World Report, April 21, 2003; “Pakistani Woman Accused of Ties with al-Qaeda,” NBC Nightly News, April 21, 2003; “U.S. Officials Doubt Pakistani Woman Is in Custody,” Associated Press, April 22, 2003.

  251 After the FBI arrested: David Rennie, “Captured al-Qaida Man was FBI Spy,” Telegraph, June 23, 2003; “Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal—al-Baluchi, Ammar,” News, May 1, 2003; Azfar-ul-Ashfaque, “11 Al-Qa’idah Suspects Arrested, Arms Recovered,” News, May 1, 2003.