Shakil Afridi

Shakil Afridi
Born1962 (age 61–62)
Malikdinkhel, Bara, Khyber Agency, FATA, Pakistan
NationalityPakistani
Alma materKhyber Medical College
OccupationPhysician
Known forHelped CIA run fake Hepatitis B vaccine program[1] in Abbottabad, Pakistan, to confirm Osama bin Laden's presence through DNA samples.

Shakil Afridi (Urdu: شکیل آفریدی), or Shakeel Afridi, is a Pakistani physician who allegedly helped the CIA run a fake hepatitis vaccine program[1] in Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, in order to confirm Osama bin Laden's presence in the city by obtaining DNA samples.[2] Details of his activities emerged during the Pakistani investigation of the deadly raid on bin Laden's residence.[3] This account is disputed in a recent[when?] account of events which implies Afridi was implicated as a cover for the real CIA operative.[4] Afridi was arrested at the Torkham while trying to flee the country days after the raid.[5] On 23 May 2012, he was sentenced to 33 years' imprisonment for treason, initially believed to be in connection with the bin Laden raid, but later revealed to be due to alleged ties with a local Islamist warlord Mangal Bagh.[6][7][8] Lawyers appealed against the verdict on 1 June 2012.[9] On 29 August 2013, his sentence was overturned and a retrial ordered.[10]

In mid-November 2013, he was charged with murder in regard to the death of a patient he had treated eight years previously.[11] During PM Imran Khan's visit to Washington DC, in July 2019, in his interview with an American Channel he indicated Shakil Afridi could be released in exchange for Aafia Siddiqui.[12]

  1. ^ a b Roul, Animesh (27 August 2014). "The Pakistani Taliban's Campaign Against Polio Vaccination". Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  2. ^ "Bin Laden death: 'CIA doctor' accused of treason". BBC News. 6 October 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  3. ^ Saeed Shah (11 July 2011). "Pakistan holds doctor who tried to collect bin Laden DNA". McClatchy DC. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  4. ^ "The Killing of Osama bin Laden". LRB. 12 May 2015. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  5. ^ "Pakistan: Doctor Who Aided C.I.A. Should Face Charges, Panel Says". The New York Times. Associated Press. 6 October 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  6. ^ Reza Sayah (23 May 2012). "Pakistani doctor accused of helping U.S. gets 33 years in prison". CNN. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Dr Shakil Afridi jailed for 'militant links'". The Express Tribune. AFP. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  8. ^ "Pakistan doctor Shakil Afridi guilty of militancy, not CIA links". The Times of India. 30 May 2012.
  9. ^ "Dr Shakil Afridi appeals conviction: Charity". The Express Tribune. AFP. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  10. ^ "Pakistan overturns prison sentence for doctor who helped CIA get Bin Laden". Fox News. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  11. ^ Jibran Ahmed (22 November 2013). "Pakistani doctor who helped U.S. find bin Laden charged with murder". Reuters. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference indianexpress2019-09-21 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).