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Suspect in Daniel Pearl Killing Is Arrested in Pakistan Pakistan Arrests Militant Wanted in Daniel Pearl Killing
(about 3 hours later)
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistani officials have arrested a senior militant accused of involvement in the 2002 murder of the American journalist Daniel Pearl.ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistani officials have arrested a senior militant accused of involvement in the 2002 murder of the American journalist Daniel Pearl.
The militant, Qari Abdul Hayee, a leader of the sectarian militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, was arrested by Ranger paramilitary troops on Sunday in Karachi, the city where Mr. Pearl was held hostage and killed. “We were after him for the past three weeks. We had information he was in Karachi,” said a senior Rangers official, speaking by phone on the condition of anonymity. The militant, Qari Abdul Hayee, a leader of the Islamist militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, was arrested by the paramilitary Rangers force on Sunday in Karachi, the city where Mr. Pearl was held hostage and killed.
The Rangers official said that the militant had been handed over to Karachi police on Sunday. Police sources in Karachi, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, denied that Mr. Hayee was in their custody and it was not clear where he was being held. “We were after him for the past three weeks. We had information he was in Karachi,” said a senior Rangers official, speaking by phone on the condition of anonymity.
It is not the first time Mr. Hayee has been arrested since the death of Mr. Pearl, a reporter with The Wall Street Journal who was 38 at the time of his murder. The militant was arrested in 2003 in Multan, a city in the southern part of Punjab Province, in connection with the killing of six Shiites. He was acquitted on those charges and continued to live freely in Punjab Province, where Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has its strongest roots. Mr. Hayee was arrested from University Road, which runs through several residential neighborhoods and educational institutes. But it was not clear where he was being held.
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Pakistan’s most notorious sectarian militant group, returned to prominence this year after it claimed responsibility for two devastating bombings in the western city of Quetta that killed about 200 Shiites, mostly from the ethnic Hazara minority. The Rangers official that the militant had been handed over to the city police’s Crime Investigation Department on Sunday evening. But police sources in Karachi, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, denied that Mr. Hayee was in their custody.
Mr. Hayee appears to have been arrested as part of a crackdown by the security forces following widespread criticism after the two Quetta bombings and a third attack in Karachi this month which was also believed to be the work of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militants. It is not the first time Mr. Hayee has been reported arrested since the death of Mr. Pearl, a reporter with The Wall Street Journal who was 38 at the time of his death. The militant was arrested in 2003 in Multan, a city in the southern part of Punjab Province, in connection with the death of six Shiites. He was later acquitted and continued to live freely in Punjab Province, where Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has its strongest roots.
Pakistani officials declined to give details of Mr. Hayee’s arrest on Sunday. Pakistani officials have said the Mr. Hayee and other figures in Lashkar-e-Jhangvi were at least partly involved in Mr. Pearl’s detention, though not his death.
Mr. Pearl was abducted in January 2002 in Karachi and beheaded the following month. His killing sent shock waves throughout the world and spotlighted the growing ties between Al Qaeda and several local Islamic militant organizations. Lashkar is Pakistan’s most notorious sectarian militant outfit, and has returned to prominence this year after it claimed responsibility for two devastating bombings in the western city of Quetta that killed about 200 Shiites, mostly from the ethnic Hazara minority.
Ahmed Omar Sheikh, a British-born Islamic militant, was convicted of masterminding the kidnapping and killing and sentenced to death in July 2002. Seven of his co-accused were sentenced in absentia and two were later killed in shootouts with the police. Mr. Sheikh has appealed his sentence. At least a dozen more militants who helped Mr. Sheikh in kidnapping Mr. Pearl remain at large, according to government officials. Mr. Hayee appears to have been arrested as part of a crackdown by the security forces on Lashkar following widespread criticism following the two Quetta bombings and a third attack in Karachi this month, also thought to be the work of Lashkar militants.
Mr. Sheikh lured Mr. Pearl with an offer of an interview with an Islamic cleric tied to Richard C. Reid, who was accused of trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight in December 2001 using explosives hidden in his shoes. Pakistani officials declined to share details of Mr. Hayee’s arrest on Sunday. A private security consultant in Karachi speculated that Mr. Hayee may have been visiting madrassas in the Safari Park neighborhood, which is close to University Road.
Although still in prison, Mr. Sheikh continues to make headlines. Mr. Pearl was abducted in January 2002 Karachi and beheaded the following month. His killing sent shock waves throughout the world and shed a light on the growing nexus of Al Qaeda and Pakistani militant groups.
In 2008, as tensions mounted between Pakistan and India over an attack on the Indian city of Mumbai by another militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Mr. Sheikh managed to make a hoax call to the then-President Asif Ali Zardari and the army chief at the time, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, in which he pretended to be the Indian foreign minister and threatened to attack Pakistan. Mr. Hayee is one of several militant figures still being sought in Mr. Pearl’s death. The two central figures in that crime are in prison: Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the Qaeda operational mastermind who designed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and who wielded the knife against Mr. Pearl; and Ahmed Omar Sheikh, a British-born Islamic militant and senior leader of who lured Mr. Pearl to an interview and then kidnapped him.
The case was one of the first known instances of major collaboration between Al Qaeda and established militant groups in Pakistan. The increasing melding and cooperation among such groups in Pakistan’s tribal belt has helped define both the struggle against militants within Pakistan, the war next door in Afghanistan, and the global effort against terrorism.
Mr. Sheikh was convicted and sentenced to death in the case in July 2002. Seven of his co-accused were sentenced in absentia, and two were later killed in shootouts with the police. Mr. Sheikh has appealed his sentence.
Although still in prison, Mr. Sheikh continues to make headlines and cause trouble.
In 2008, as tensions mounted between Pakistan and India over an attack on the Indian city of Mumbai by another militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Mr. Sheikh managed to make a hoax call to President Asif Ali Zardari and the army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, in which he pretended to be Indian foreign minister and threatened Pakistan of an Indian attack.