Pakistani doctor who helped locate Bin Laden gets 33 years in prison

On Wednesday, a Pakistani doctor, who led a fake vaccination campaign to help the CIA locate Osama Bin Laden, was convicted of treason and sentenced to 33 years in prison.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The United States has been looking for the release of Shakeel Afridi ever since Pakistani authorities arrested him after the secret U.S. raid that killed Bin Laden around a year ago. Pakistani authorities have said Afridi is a traitor and have still ignored Washington's call for his release. Under Pakistani law, he could receive the death penalty. Afridi was also fined $3,500 in addition to the 33-year term.

In January, Leon E. Panetta, Defense Secretary, said that Afridi had provided intelligence that helped the raid and criticized Pakistan for arresting someone who helped track down the most wanted man in the world.

The fake hepatitis B vaccination scheme was to obtain DNA evidence from Bin Laden's residence. DNA samples would have ultimately allowed United States authorities to compare that evidence with DNA from Bin Laden relatives, who are on file, in Washington.

Afridi and his team were not able to get the DNA samples from Bin Laden's residence, however he provided "very helpful" information to the CIA.

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