Alleged Mata Hari of Al Qaeda Indicted: Could Provide 'Treasure Trove' of Intelligence

Siddiqui had "dirty bomb," "mass casualty attack" info & NY target list.

ByABC News
September 16, 2008, 6:48 AM

September 2, 2008— -- Aafia Siddiqui, the alleged Mata Hari of Al Qaeda, was indicted by federal authorities in New York today for allegedly attempting to kill the FBI agents, US soldiers, interpreters and others who attempted to interview her following her July capture in Afghanistan. The seven count indictment detailed her alleged possession of detailed handwritten notes on "dirty bombs," terrorist recruiting, New York targets, and the relative casualty rates for various weapons of mass destruction.

Siddiqui, who holds degrees from MIT and Brandeis in biology and neuroscience, allegedly had in her possession when captured by Afghanistan's National Police on July 17th detailed chemical, biological and radiological weapon information that has been seen only in a handful of terrorist cases, as well as a thumb drive packed with emails, according to the indictment. That information was first reported by ABC News on August 12th. In addition, ABC has learned, the chemicals the indictment alleges Siddiqui had in her possession included about a liter of cyanide.

She also allegedly had with her a list of potential targets that included the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Empire State Building, Wall Street and the animal disease center on Plum Island.

According to the indictment, Siddiqui's notes contained the details of casualty rates for various weapons of mass destruction. Her hand written notes, the indictment stated, "referred to the construction of 'dirty bombs' chemical and biological weapons, and other explosives."

Those handwritten notes included details on other methods of attack by "destroying reconnaissance drones, using underwater bombs and using gliders," the indictment stated.

The haul of information, plus a one gigabyte thumb drive packed with what the indictment described as information referring to "specific 'cells'" and "attacks" by those cells terrorist cells" as well as notes on recruiting and training has led multiple government sources to describe Siddique, 36, as a potential "treasure trove" of information on terrorist supporters, sympathizers or 'sleepers' in the United States and overseas.

Only a "handful" of captured alleged Al Qaeda associates have had the kind of detailed information on weapons of mass destruction that Siddique, who attended MIT as an undergraduate and earned her PhD in neuroscience at Brandeis, had in her handbag, multiple current and former US intelligence and law enforcement officials told ABC News.