Dr. Aafia Siddiqui Tortured

NEW YORK, Sept. 4 -- The attorney for an American-trained behavioral scientist charged with trying to kill U.S. personnel in July said in court Thursday that she believes that her client was imprisoned and tortured for several years before the incident and now could be mentally incompetent.

Lawyer Elizabeth Fink told a federal judge in New York that Aafia Siddiqui, who disappeared in Pakistan with her three children in March 2003, needs a full psychological evaluation to determine whether she has post-traumatic stress disorder and is competent to help in her own defense. Fink also urged that Siddiqui, 36, be examined by experts on the effects of torture.

Fink read in court a portion of a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) evaluation of Siddiqui's behavior, which includes constant crying in her cell.

"Although her concerns about [her son] being starved and tortured sound somewhat paranoid on the surface, it is also possible that they represent an accurate portrayal of Ms. Siddiqui's experiences with detainment prior to arrival into BOP custody," a prison psychologist wrote. "Furthermore, Ms. Siddiqui's history of exposure to traumatic events is unknown. Therefore, PTSD and other acute Axis I disorders cannot be ruled out."