Badar Khan Suri, an Indian-origin researcher at Georgetown University, faces deportation after being arrested for alleged connections to terrorism and propagating Hamas views. Serving as a Postdoctoral Fellow, he has a background in peace studies with a focus on complex democracy-related challenges. His wife is a US citizen from Gaza, illustrating personal ties to the region’s conflicts.
Badar Khan Suri, an Indian-origin researcher at Georgetown University, has been arrested and is facing deportation for alleged ties to terrorism and spreading Hamas propaganda. He was taken into custody by masked agents near his Virginia residence while teaching a course on “Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia.” The university confirmed that Mr. Suri had arrived in the US on a visa for his doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to reports, Tricia McLaughlin, the Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, alleged that Mr. Suri engaged in promoting antisemitism through social media, stating, “Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda.” She also indicated that he is linked to a suspected terrorist affiliated with Hamas who holds a senior advisory role. A determination by the Secretary of State deemed Mr. Suri’s activities as grounds for deportation under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Dr. Badar Khan Suri serves as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University. He completed his PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, in 2020. His dissertation examined state-building in ethnically diverse societies, particularly within Afghanistan and Iraq, emphasizing the intricate challenges of establishing democracy in such contexts. He specializes in religion, violence, and peace studies, as well as ethnic conflicts in the Middle East and South Asia.
Additionally, Mr. Suri is married to Mapheze Saleh, a Gazan who is a first-year student at Georgetown’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies and is a US citizen. His professional profile at the university has been restricted and is accessible only through login credentials.
In conclusion, Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral associate at Georgetown University, is currently under legal scrutiny for allegations of facilitating Hamas propaganda and having links to terrorism. His arrest has raised significant concerns regarding freedom of academic expression and scrutiny over foreign nationals in sensitive research positions. As legal proceedings unfold, the implications of Suri’s case extend beyond personal ramifications, reflecting broader tensions in academic discourse regarding majoritarianism and minority rights.
Original Source: www.ndtv.com
