Nayyar Zaidi Trial Set for Oct 6, 2008

Renowned Jang/GEO Correspondent and Columnist Nayyar Zaidi's trial is scheduled for October 6, in Ohio, where he remains detained without bail since March 2008.

He was twice rejected bail, according to his spouse. But it is unclear why he was refused bail, and what the grounds were. My understanding is that on such matters it may be possible to obtain bail unless it is set so high that it cannot be obtained by the affected individual.

Another reason for bail refusal could be if the alleged crime is piggy-backed by another alleged crime which gives the prosecutor more strength to ask the Judge to reject the bail application.

Mr Zaidi, on August 5th, sent me thru his wife, a 14-page handwritten explanation on his incarceration and his defense. It is being made available on DesPardes.com website at: http://www.despardes.com/zaidi-papers-aug5.pdf

Since the matter is subjudice before the court, we need to be careful not to comment on any aspect of the case, specially on its merit.

In his handwritten note, Mr Zaidi says, "I was working on a story which was part of a bigger journalistic project, on the invasive nature of the internet and the political and social changes it is bringing. I was inspired by Marshall McLuhan's 1960 book :Understanding Media". He adds, "Sexual exploitation of minors is a big issue. I named the project, "PARENTS AS PREDATORS." After my arrest one minor case in Italy and one is Austria came out in news."..."But internet is fantasy land...nothing is authentic (not news but chats)...."

"As journalists we know that first-hand accounts are the most authoritative..It was natural for me to try to establish real-time contact with some one who claimed to be in a "Parent Predator". As you all know, I am. perhaps, the only (Pakistani) journalist whose name is well known is U.S. and Pakistan. There is a market in Pakistan for stories that do not start with, "Mr Boucher said..."

Mr Zaidi also claims in his faxed notes to me that he was the first journalist to break the story of CIA providing potable labs to Afghans (during the Afghan Jihad War) to make Heroin.

"U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, Arnold Raphael, was outraged that he told the State Department to terminate my 17-years contract with the Voice of America(VOA)," he added.

One newspaper report (Daily Times) has said that Mr Zaidi and his spouse refused embassy help on grounds that Mr Zaidi was an American citizen and was "not in jail". I know for sure he is in under detention, based on his and his spouses's phone calls to me during the last few weeks. I am not sure why there is still need to hide this critical fact. Why not let people know and possibly help?

Besides, Pakistani-Americans automatically enjoy dual nationality status. So what's the harm in reaching out for all available help if one is innocent?