Death Sentence for Pearl Slaying
H Y D E R A B A D, Pakistan, July 15 -- A Pakistani court today sentenced a British-born Islamic militant to death by hanging for kidnapping and killing U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl amid fears of a violent backlash by hardliners in the South Asian nation.
A special anti-terrorist court in the Pakistani city of Hyderabad today convicted four men in Pearl's kidnap and killing. Sheik Omar Saeed was sentenced to death and three other co-accused received 25-year jail sentences.
As the Pearl family welcomed the ruling today, Pakistani authorities braced for a retaliation following Saeed's threat of reprisals and his call on Muslims to launch a jihad, or holy war, to protest the ruling.
In a statement read by his lawyer, Saeed called the trial a "waste of time" and issued a personal warning to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, whose support for Washington's war on terror has been fiercely criticized by Islamic hardliners.
"Musharraf should know that Almighty Allah is there and can gethis revenge," said Saeed. "Now the jihad between Islam and non-Muslims is going on and everybody is showingwhether he is in favor of Islam or in favor of the nonbelievers."
Omar's lawyer, Rai Bashir, also told reporters the defense wouldappeal the verdict.
Hours after the ruling, the Pearl family, including his widow Mariane, hailed the verdict. "We, the parents, wife, and sisters of Daniel Pearl, are grateful for the tireless efforts by authorities in Pakistan and the United States to bring those guilty of Danny's kidnapping and murder to justice," they said.
Three other co-accused, Fahad Naseem, Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil, were also found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment, which usually means 25 years in jail in Pakistan.
The defendants were also collectively fined $32,000. Chief prosecutor Raja Quereshi said the money would go to Pearl's widow and their infant son, Adam, who was born on May 28, months after his father was kidnapped in the Pakistani port city of Karachi.
Tight Security, Fears of Unrest
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