Dr. John Mariani
“I have certainly seen in my work with him reason to be optimistic about his future, and, certainly, my professional opinion is that treatment of substance use problems and psychiatric conditions, in general, is a worthwhile effort, and in many cases results in good outcomes.”
John Mariani
Research psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatry Institute and associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center of Psychiatry.
Dr. Mariani performed a psychiatric assessment of Abdulrahman.
Dr. Mariani, Dr. Porterfield and Dr. Khadivi all concluded that Abdulrahman had mitigating factors which contributed to his involvement in the charges laid against him but that his mental health responded well to sustained treatment as mentioned in their medical reports.
Dr. Mariani pointed out that Abdulrahman’s mental health improves when compliant with antipsychotic medication and deteriorates when non-compliant, the latter of which was his state when he engaged in online communication with ISIS members. Dr. Mariani’s psychiatric assessment concluded that Abdulrahman has “demonstrated compulsive substance use, psychotic and mood symptoms, and impaired cognitive functioning throughout his adolescence.” Dr. Mariani also noted that decisions were made by the government in managing Abdulrahman’s cooperation that did not take into account his particular vulnerabilities given his psychiatric history.
Likewise, Dr. Mariani has seen firsthand that treatment benefited Abdulrahman. On Abdulrahman’s treatment Dr. Mariani testified that “I have certainly seen in my work with him reason to be optimistic about his future, and, certainly, my professional opinion is that treatment of substance use problems and psychiatric conditions, in general, is a worthwhile effort, and in many cases results in good outcomes.”
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"What makes this story even more disturbing is that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) knowingly participated in this sting with the FBI. They unlawfully obtained Abdulrahman’s medical records that described his mental health vulnerabilities and provided them to the FBI to better manipulate this damaged youth.
This raises serious human rights concerns of discriminatory investigations, targeting vulnerable youths such as Abdulrahman, who had no previous history of violence or criminality, until drawn in by a U.S. government actively involved in developing the plot, persuading and pressuring the target to participate."