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Pakistan court overturns convictions of those imprisoned for Daniel Pearl murder Pakistani court overturns murder convictions in killing of journalist Daniel Pearl
(about 8 hours later)
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A regional Pakistani court on Thursday overturned the convictions of the men involved in the killing of U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A regional Pakistani court Thursday overturned the convictions of the men involved in the 2002 killing of U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl.
The ruling by two judges on the High Court of Sindh province can still be appealed to Pakistan’s Supreme Court.The ruling by two judges on the High Court of Sindh province can still be appealed to Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
“As per the court’s judgment, Omar Saeed Sheikh has been found guilty of kidnapping and not of murder. The accused was in jail for 20 years,” the defendants’ lawyer Khawaja Naveed told The Washington Post. “As per the court’s judgment, Omar Saeed Sheikh has been found guilty of kidnapping and not of murder,” said the defendants’ lawyer, Khawaja Naveed.
Saeed had been sentenced to death for Pearl’s murder, but now with just a seven-year sentence for kidnapping, he could be released, given the 18 years he has already served. Pearl, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was kidnapped in January 2002 in Pakistan, where he was researching the connection between a radical Islamic preacher and Richard Reid, who attempted to blow up an airliner with explosives in his shoes.
The high-profile kidnapping and killing prompted outrage and put pressure on the Pakistani government to capture and prosecute the perpetrators.
Saeed, a British-born Pakistani who was implicated in other kidnappings, had been sentenced to death for Pearl’s murder and kidnapping. The court Thursday overturned the murder conviction and downgraded the kidnapping charge, which carries a seven-year sentence. Because Saeed has served 18 years, he could be eligible for release.
The three other men convicted with Saeed — Fahad Naseem, a computer expert; Salman Saqib, a religious activist; and Sheikh Adil, a police officer — were ordered released by the court.The three other men convicted with Saeed — Fahad Naseem, a computer expert; Salman Saqib, a religious activist; and Sheikh Adil, a police officer — were ordered released by the court.
The kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Pearl in January 2002 shocked the world at the time. He had been in Pakistan researching the connection between a radical Islamic preacher and Richard Reid, who attempted to blow up an airliner with explosives in his shoes. In a statement Thursday, the Wall Street Journal said: “We continue to seek justice for the murder of Daniel Pearl. Danny was a cherished colleague and we will always honor his memory and service.”
Pearl was told he was meeting with the radical cleric when instead he was kidnapped by militants organized by Saeed, a British-born Pakistani. According to the Center of Public Integrity’s Pearl Project, 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed then took over the operation and filmed the beheading of Pearl for al-Qaeda propaganda purposes. Analysts say increased pressure on Pakistan to crack down on terrorist networks will probably trigger an appeal to the country’s Supreme Court.
The murder has been seen as the beginning of a trend targeting journalists in conflict zones. Muhammad Amir Rana, an Islamabad-based security analyst, predicted the government would keep Saeed in custody during the appeals process because of the high-profile nature of the case. Rana said the government could argue Saeed’s release poses a threat to national security or bring additional charges against him.
In 2014, the radical Islamic State group filmed the beheadings of a number of its hostages, including journalist James Foley. In January 2002, Pearl was told he was meeting with a radical cleric when instead he was kidnapped by militants organized by Saeed. According to the Center of Public Integrity’s Pearl Project, 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed then took over the operation and filmed the beheading of Pearl for al-Qaeda propaganda purposes. Mohammed was captured in Pakistan in 2003 and is now held at Guantánamo Bay.
Paul Schemm in Dubai contributed to this report. The murder has been seen as marking the beginning of a trend of militant groups targeting journalists in conflict zones. In 2014, the Islamic State filmed the beheadings of a number of its hostages, including journalist James Foley.
Paul Schemm in Dubai and Susannah George in London contributed to this report.
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