Indian researcher arrested us for the sympathy of the Palestinian

It was an invitation from a colleague of 15 years ago that changed the life of Badar Khan Suri, an Indian scientist who is now facing the deportation of the United States on the accusations associated with Hamas.

In that summer evening, Mr. Suri was sitting outside his department at the Islamic University of Melia in Delhi when a classmate announced that an international aid convoy had been appointed to go to Gaza – The Palestinian lands run by the Islamic Armed Group Hamas and under the siege by Israel.

For students of conflict studies, the convoy-which includes more than 150 people from several Asian countries-presented one time an opportunity to see one of the most controversial disputes in the world.

Mr. Suri agreed happily to participate, as mentioned by the BBC.

During this trip, Mavisi Saleh, a Palestinian and daughter of a former consultant in Hamas, met after a few months.

After living in Delhi nearly a decade, the couple moved to the United States, where Mr. Suri joined the prestigious Georgetown University as a post -PhD colleague.

He had lived in Virginia for nearly three years when The police knocked on his door On the evening of March 17 and arrested him.

Three days later, on March 20, Tweet Trechia McLeulin, Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Security, that Mr. Suri was detained because of his “close link to a well -known or suspect, a senior consultant in Hamas.” He denied these allegations.

This measure follows President Donald Trump’s campaign against immigrants and illegal activists participating in the pro -Palestinian campus protests, which the authorities accused of feeding anti -Semitism and supporting Hamas. The group was appointed as a terrorist organization by the United States. India, however, has not prohibited enthusiasm.

Although Mr. Suri, who legally entered the United States in the student visa, was deported by an American court, the Trump administration allegations shocked those who knew it at home.

His acquaintances describe him as a soft and shy student and work hard with wide knowledge of the world, while his colleagues in the class and his teachers said that they found allegations that he had relationships with Hamas “weak”.

India historically supported the Palestinian issue. But it has also evolved close strategic relations with Israel in recent years, with Delhi often refraining from criticizing the actions of Israel.

Until then, “none of the imagination can be associated with anything illegal.”

“The existence of a point of view on the ongoing conflict is not a crime. As a researcher of conflict studies, it is good to share his analysis of the war in Gaza.”

Those who accompanied him on the trip keep similar opinions.

Fayrouz Metiborwalla, one of the convoy organizers, remembers Mr. Suri as a smart young man.

“He has always taken a secular position in our discussions. It was not a kind of right -wing Islamic figure,” he said.

The journey started in December 2010 from Delhi. When the Indian Pakistan neighbor refused to provide a travel permit to the group, the convoy had to travel to Iran, Turkey, Syria and Egypt before it finally arrived in Gaza.

A friend of Mr. Syrian who went on the tour said that the road, which was covered by the bus, offered a lot to a student of peace and conflict studies.

He added that throughout the trip, he was deeply affected by the suffering he witnessed in Gaza and focused on providing aid to the widow and the elderly.

Another colleague said in contact with him until days before his arrest, that the caravan, in many ways, “made Mr. Suri closer to the Palestinian issue,” but his interest was largely academic.

The second time and the other, Mr. Suri, was to Gaza for his wedding with Mrs. Sala.

An American citizen, the lady was a hall working as a translator and volunteer in Gaza at the time.

Her father, who lived in the United States, was a former adviser to Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, who was killed by Israel last year, according to a statement in court.

In 2010, her father left the Gaza government and “the Wisdom Council began in 2011 to encourage the peace and conflict solution in Gaza,” he added.

When Mrs. Saleh and Mr. Suri met for the first time, they did not speak much. But they arranged again a few months later, a friend accompanied him on the convoy told the BBC.

Their wedding Addresses In India, with the couple returning to Delhi and continued to live there for eight years.

Mrs. Salad herself joined the Master’s degree in Jamiya and later worked at the Qatar Embassy. In 2023, Mr. Suri moved to the United States and followed by Mrs. Saleh.

He was months of completing his fellowship when he was arrested.

Sayyid Suri’s father said that he was his pain to see his son in this position.

“He has no links with Hamas or Palestine (unlike his marriage). His sin is that he is married to a Palestinian woman,” he said.

But he hopes that his son will not be deported. “After all, these are just allegations. There is no evidence of any violations,” he added.

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