The White House has admitted they ran a fake vaccination program, with the goal of collecting DNA samples from children.
The covert operation took place in the Middle East. Vaccinations were promised to people, who the government claims were tied to terrorist groups. The goal of the DNA sampling was to identify individuals for execution.
The CIA recruited Shakil Afridi, a well-respected doctor in Abbottabad, Pakistan to manage the program. This provided the CIA-managed operation credibility in the region.
Existence of the program was first reported by the New York Times in 2011, but only now has the administration acknowledged its existence.
Afridi offered families free hepatitis vaccines for their children. He would then take genetic samples, searching for relatives of those President Obama marked for execution.
Pakistan arrested the doctor for his role in the operation, charging him with treason. He was sentenced to 33 years in prison, which reports say was reduced to 22. His lawyers insist the charges keeping Afridi behind bars are not related to the CIA vaccination program.
Lisa Monaco, President Obama’s chief counter-terrorism adviser, wrote to 13 university deans promising to end the program. She also told the school heads DNA collected from vaccination programs would no longer be used for counter-terrorism purposes. After evidence was released proving the existence of the operation, educational leaders criticized the program and the administration. This sparked the response from the White House.
Many supporters of Afridi praise him as a hero, helping the United States track down Osama bin Laden. Opponents call him a traitor, who betrayed families, his nation and his religion for short-term gain.
COMMENTS:
DR Revealing about 1st Amendment right of those who are merely accused. Will this be a precedent? How will it be used against others who are only “accused” by the government since this denial of a critical right can be applied to others beyond the circumstances being discussed?
