Daily Times

The authorities have moved Shakeel Afridi, a doctor who contributed to the CIA operation to track down Osama bin Laden, the former leader of al-Qaeda, from a prison in Peshawar to another facility because of his plans to ‘escape’, an official familiar with the matter told RIA Novosti, on the condition of anonymity.

“Inter-Services Intelligence was tipped about the plan and reconnaissance of the premises by a source, a local informant. The plan then was scuttled by ISI… Dr Shakeel Afridi has been shifted to some unknown safe location,” the official said.

Soon after the death of bin Laden in May 2011, US media reported that Afridi had contributed to the success of the CIA operation by collecting DNA samples of bin Laden’s family by order of the intelligence agency. Then CIA Director Leon Panetta and then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had confirmed the doctor’s role in eliminating the terrorist.

In May 2011, Afridi was detained on treason charges for organizing a fake vaccination for the purpose of obtaining DNA samples from bin Laden’s family. Shortly thereafter, authorities said that Afridi was suspected of having ties with Mangal Bagh, the leader of the Lashkar-e-Islam terrorist group. In 2012, Afridi was sentenced to 33 years in prison, though later his term was reduced to 23 years.

Published in Daily Times, April 28^th 2018.