NEW YORK — A U.S.-trained Pakistani scientist accused of shooting at U.S. authorities trying to interview her in Afghanistan was back in court Wednesday, promising to behave herself a day after getting kicked out of her own trial.
Aafia Siddiqui told Judge Richard Berman she would be quiet on Wednesday even though she might disagree with testimony. The judge told her he wanted no more outbursts.
She was quickly removed from court on the opening day of her attempted murder trial Tuesday after calling a witness a liar.
The 37-year-old was arrested in Afghanistan in July 2008. Authorities say she was caught carrying notes on bomb-making and a list of New York landmarks.
Prosecutors allege Siddiqui, while detained in a dingy room full of Afghan and U.S. personnel, grabbed an unattended rifle and shot at the others before a soldier returned fire. Besides the defendant, who suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach, no one was seriously injured.
She has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and is not facing terrorism charges.
On Tuesday, testimony indicated that the gunfight created friction within the U.S. Army over how Siddiqui got her hands on a soldier's assault rifle.
U.S. Army Capt. Robert Snyder told the jury that the soldier, a chief warrant officer whose name was not released, created a deadly risk by not securing his weapon. He described seeing the soldier put down the rifle and turn away to shake hands with police before the gunfire erupted.
That same soldier was the one who ended the melee by shooting Siddiqui.
Snyder said he recoiled when another captain later approached him about awarding the soldier a medal for valor.
"I told the captain I would not support it — absolutely not," Snyder said.
One of Tuesday's outbursts followed Snyder's testimony that Afghan police discovered the notes in Siddiqui's purse mentioning a massive attack and listing landmarks such as the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Wall Street.
"I was never planning a bombing! You're lying!" the 37-year-old Siddiqui yelled as she was rushed out of court. (AP)