RE: Cpl Siddiqi

Hi Gina:

I have attached the charge sheet and included a brief narrative of the case.

His name is Cpl Imad Siddiqi, USMC. Cpl Siddiqi is Marine who was born in Afghanistan and immigrated the U.S. with his family. He has completed one Marine Expeditionary Unit, Special Operations Capable deployment and one deployment to Afghanistan. On about 11 May of 2009 during his last tour in Afghanistan, his squad came across a person (Mohamed Gul) on whom they had intel that he is a Taliban operative and was intimidating villagers and possibly conducting attacks on the friendly villagers. Cpl Siddiqi speaks Pashtu, Urdu, and Dari. He began to interrogate Mohamed Gul but could get nothing from him. Cpl Siddiqi had already spoken to a village elder who explained to him that Mohamed Gul is a member of the Taliban. He told him that he beats up and terrorizes any villager he finds out are cooperating or speaking to the Marines. Cpl Siddiqi relayed this information to his squad leader SSgt Jones. When Cpl Siddiqi interrogated Gul, Gul would lie and give inconsistent stories. Cpl Siddiqi let his squad leader know that Gul wasn’t talking and that he was lying about his activities. The squad leader then ordered another Marine to “take care of Gul.” The other Marine understood taking care of Gul to mean rough him up a little so he talks about his contacts and to intimidate him into not terrorizing the villagers anymore. The next day Gul showed up at the base accusing the Marines of abuse and demanding payment

The unit charged all the Marines in the squad with conspiracy, false official statement, and assault. Cpl Siddiqi suffers from severe PTSD and has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. A conviction could result in his deportation because he is not a citizen yet. Imagine sending a U.S. Marine back to Afghanistan. His family is distraught and poor. They live in Northern Virginia. They came here to get away from Afghanistan and the Taliban, entered the U.S. legally and are working on building a life here and becoming Americans. They’re proud of their eldest son’s service but know nothing about his legal troubles. He’s afraid to tell them because he thinks they might become ashamed of him when they learn that he is facing charges. Your assistance in assisting us funding his defense is appreciated.

Haytham Faraj, Esq.

PUCKETT & FARAJ, PC

WASHINGTON DC׀ SAN DIEGO ׀ DEARBORN

www.puckettfaraj.com

888.970.0005 Toll Free

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