Chowrangi

As reported earlier, according to local and US sources, Journalist Syed Haider Karar Zaidi aka Nayyar Zaidi was detained by FBI in United States. At the time of writing of previous post, reasons for his detention were unknown. Irshad Salim of DesPardes.com wrote in his blog (which was later used as primary source by Pakistani media) that he has talked with Nayyar Zaidi and even received relevant documentation from his wife. According to that, Mr. Zaidi visited Ohio for his journalistic research and was held by FBI for obstruction of justice.

According to a news report of March 24, 2008, Syed Haider Karar Zaidi (Nayyar Zaidi), 64, was arrested in Belden Village, Stark County, Ohio by FBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Nayyar Zaidi was initially arraigned in Massillon Municipal Court on felony charges of attempted unlawful sex with a minor, attempted child endangering, attempted illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance and importuning.

His lawyer Jeffrey Haupt saw strong possibilities of case moving to federal court mainly because Zaidi crossed state lines, the nature of the material involved in the case and the age of the purported victim.

He, therefore, advised Zaidi’s family not to post $200,000 bond as required by the Municipal Court. In absence of which, Nayyar Zaidi has to spend some time in Stark County Jail and was later released to federal authorities.

Stark County, Ohio, maintain online case dockets for all cases in its municipal courts, and this made it easier to extract details of Nayyar Zaidi’s case proceedings. Nayyar Zaidi’s case number is 2008CRA00614 and it was presented at Massillon Municipal Court (excellent investigative work by Cemend Taur).

According to case docket, Nayyar Zaidi was arrested on March 23, 2008 and sent to Stark County Jaily, in lieu of $200,000 bond (which was not submitted by him). He was released to federal authorities on March 26, 2008.

Where is Nayyar Zaidi now? Has he been prosecuted/detained by federal authorities on charges of unlawful sex with minor? There is no clue as yet and most unfortunately, Pakistani Media and Government are playing numb on this.

Other posts by Kashif Aziz

• Pakistan edging towards another Military Rule? - Part 1 - August 29th, 2008
• Say No to Electricity Bills - August 28th, 2008
• Tanzeem Naqvi resigned from KESC - August 28th, 2008
• Pakistan faces severe Power Crisis - August 27th, 2008
• NATO Vehicles Burned at Maripur Karachi - August 27th, 2008
• Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and her son interrogated by Afghans - August 25th, 2008
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs updates on Dr. Aafia Siddiqui - August 23rd, 2008
• Pervez Musharraf resigns as President of Pakistan - August 18th, 2008
• Clarification by US Consulate in Pakistan on Dr. Aafia Siddiqui's Abducation - August 17th, 2008
• Investors from Pakistan flock to Ajman - August 16th, 2008