Lady al-Qaeda

A Pakistani woman known as “Lady al-Qaeda” was one of the Bush Administration’s “most wanted” people. She was convicted of attempted murder, and she’s being held in a Texas prison. In Pakistan she’s considered a martyr, and now the extremist Islamic State is demanding her release. Should she be exchanged for American hostages?

“Lady al-Qaeda”—a nickname provided by intelligence agents—has never been considered for a prisoner swap, according to the Obama White House. But some Pentagon officials, and at least one Republican, have other ideas. Shane Harris is senior staff writer at Foreign Policy magazine and author of an article titled, “Lady al-Qaeda: The World’s Most Wanted Woman.”