Islamist convicted of beheading U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl to go free, victim's family in 'shock'

By Syed Raza Hassan and Asif Shahzad

 

FILE PHOTO: A portrait of the Wall Street Journal's reporter Daniel Pearl stands with a candle at the altar at Fleet Street's journalists chapel St Brides Church prior to a memorial service in London March 5, 2002. Pearl was murdered after being captured in Pakistan and held hostage as his captors attempted to bargain the release of prisoners held by the U.S. in Cuba. REUTERS/Ian Waldie IW/NMB

 

KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of an Islamist convicted of beheading U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl, a decision that has left his family in "complete shock", lawyers said.

 

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who was the main suspect in the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Pearl, was released by a panel of three judges.

 

"By a majority of two to one, they have acquitted all the accused persons and ordered their release," a provincial advocate general, Salman Talibuddin, told Reuters.

 

It was not immediately clear whether "acquittal" meant a finding of not guilty, or that they had merely finished their jail terms.

 

Sheikh has served 18 years in jail and a life sentence is usually a maximum 14 years.

 

Pearl, 38, was investigating Islamist militants in Karachi after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States when he was kidnapped.

 

His case grabbed headlines globally after a video of his beheading emerged weeks after he was abducted.

 

Sheikh and three co-accused are to be released if they are not required in any other cases, the head of the court panel, Justice Mushir Alam, said.

 

The process to release them can take several days.

 

A high court last year commuted the death penalty of the British-born Sheikh into a life sentence and acquitted his three co-accused, citing lack of evidence. The acquittals were challenged.

 

The government and Pearl's parents challenged the court decision and pleaded to the Supreme Court to reinstate the death penalty.

 

The Supreme Court turned down both pleas on Thursday.

 

The United States had said that it may seek to retry Sheikh if efforts to keep him in prison failed.

 

"The Pearl family is in complete shock by the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan," the family's lawyer, Faisal Siddiqi, told Reuters, adding that the court decision was a travesty of justice.

 

"No amount of injustice will defeat our resolve to fight for justice for Daniel Pearl."

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-28

 

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2 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Islamist convicted of beheading U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl to go free, victim's family in 'shock'

so , human beings can be 'disappointing ' ????????

11 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

and a life sentence is usually a maximum 14 years.

 

ahhhhh

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh resume: born in London in 1973..   Omar Sheikh: from private schoolboy to militant kidnapper - France 24

A clear case where the death penalty would serve its purpose.

Disgusting what a miserable country 

5 minutes ago, Tug said:

Disgusting what a miserable country 

Which one? Pakistan for releasing him, albeit in seemingly inappropriate methods, after 18 years when life is 14 years, or the US for wanting to behalf in the same manner as the beheader? 
 

57 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Sheikh has served 18 years in jail and a life sentence is usually a maximum 14 years.

 

 

57 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

A high court last year commuted the death penalty of the British-born Sheikh into a life sentence and acquitted his three co-accused, citing lack of evidence.

This seems reasonable...especially when he was likely convicted on little to no actual evidence by a Pakistani government under pressure from the United States. Interesting there is no quote reporting on the defendant's family's reaction to this turn of events...more fair and balanced reporting I guess.

An illustration of precisely why it’s not a good idea to put people on the Supreme Court who believe they answer to a higher authority than the law.

It baffles me why affluent Western countries still give foreign aid to such nations. Let them rot in their ignorance and extremism, visit them at your own risk.

11 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

This seems reasonable...especially when he was likely convicted on little to no actual evidence by a Pakistani government under pressure from the United States.

There does seem to be pretty good evidence against him:

Quote

In January 2011, a report prepared by The Center for Public Integrity and The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, concluded Omar Sheikh was the mastermind of the plot to kidnap Pearl, leading to his subsequent murder. The report also confirmed the role of three codefendants convicted with Sheikh in Pearl's case. Nonetheless, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a former CIA captive, who had been tortured in 2003 in the CIA's archipelago of black sites, had confessed to the murder, and the report concluded his confession was credible. The report noted that FBI forensic experts had confirmed Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's confession through "vein matching", identifying the pattern of the veins in the killer's hands in the video.^[11][14]

 

The lead author of the report was Pearl's friend and colleague, journalist Asra Nomani.

Apparently Pearl and his wife were staying with Nomani, when he was abducted. As someone who knew him, and a Muslim-Indian American, I doubt  she'd want to wrongly attribute responsibility.

45 minutes ago, onebir said:

There does seem to be pretty good evidence against him:

Apparently Pearl and his wife were staying with Nomani, when he was abducted. As someone who knew him, and a Muslim-Indian American, I doubt  she'd want to wrongly attribute responsibility.

It's generally the role of appellate courts to right wrongs that have been committed by lower courts or by governments...especially ones based on English common law and court practices, which I assume is the case in Pakistan. The courts here have reversed the convictions of two defendants and commuted the death sentence of the third to "life" in prison, which is apparently usually 14 years in Pakistan. Therefore, having already served 18 years, have ordered his release as well. I take it the Pearl family doesn't agree with this outcome but it appears to be in conformity with the laws in Pakistan. 

Isn't it Pakistan where you can get a real death sentence for 'blasphemy'? usually just one persons word against another.

34 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Isn't it Pakistan where you can get a real death sentence for 'blasphemy'? usually just one persons word against another.

Which has nothing to do with this. He served 4 years longer than the prescribed sentence for that offence.

 

according to this washington post article no one has been executed for blasphemy in pakistan.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistans-most-famous-accused-blasphemer-escaped-to-canada-others-remain-on-death-row/2019/05/18/339557ec-7713-11e9-a7bf-c8a43b84ee31_story.html

6 hours ago, Sujo said:

Which has nothing to do with this. He served 4 years longer than the prescribed sentence for that offence.

 

according to this washington post article no one has been executed for blasphemy in pakistan.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistans-most-famous-accused-blasphemer-escaped-to-canada-others-remain-on-death-row/2019/05/18/339557ec-7713-11e9-a7bf-c8a43b84ee31_story.html

 

Sadly blasphemy accusations are usually used for vengeance in personal disputes with killings carried out by the family / 'mob'.

8 hours ago, Lacessit said:

It baffles me why affluent Western countries still give foreign aid to such nations. Let them rot in their ignorance and extremism, visit them at your own risk.

 

On the other side of the coin Pakistani forces have taken on Islamists suffering large causalities, whilst also killing significant numbers of Islamist terrorists. Pakistani government has huge challenges trying to balance modernising 'law and order' against populist extremist influencers. A number of very brave Pakistani law makers have been murdered due to this struggle to transition Pakistani society.

8 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Isn't it Pakistan where you can get a real death sentence for 'blasphemy'? usually just one persons word against another.

I'm no expert in Islamic law, but I believe there are a certain number of witnesses required for conviction. 

23 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

I'm no expert in Islamic law, but I believe there are a certain number of witnesses required for conviction. 

I think that's to get a male convicted of rape

8 hours ago, Sujo said:

Which has nothing to do with this. He served 4 years longer than the prescribed sentence for that offence.

 

according to this washington post article no one has been executed for blasphemy in pakistan.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistans-most-famous-accused-blasphemer-escaped-to-canada-others-remain-on-death-row/2019/05/18/339557ec-7713-11e9-a7bf-c8a43b84ee31_story.html

An Islamic source is more reliable than a dhimi one, Aljazeera reports dozens on death row in Pakistan or serving life for so called blasphemy, or as we call it for having an opinion.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/8/pakistan-court-sentences-three-to-death-for-blasphemy

2 hours ago, simple1 said:

 

On the other side of the coin Pakistani forces have taken on Islamists suffering large causalities, whilst also killing significant numbers of Islamist terrorists. Pakistani government has huge challenges trying to balance modernising 'law and order' against populist extremist influencers. A number of very brave Pakistani law makers have been murdered due to this struggle to transition Pakistani society.

True enough. However, if I recall correctly Pakistan also hosted bin Laden for an unknown number of years, and it's difficult to convince me that was not known by the government.

When they succeed, reward them. If they fail, cut off all aid. Then quarantine them. Every year, billions of dollars in aid go to such countries, and what do more civilized nations have to show for it?

Would you call it civilized to free a person who beheaded someone innocent and posted a video of it for mass consumption? If they are not going to execute him, he should rot in jail until he dies.

25 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

True enough. However, if I recall correctly Pakistan also hosted bin Laden for an unknown number of years, and it's difficult to convince me that was not known by the government.

When they succeed, reward them. If they fail, cut off all aid. Then quarantine them. Every year, billions of dollars in aid go to such countries, and what do more civilized nations have to show for it?

Would you call it civilized to free a person who beheaded someone innocent and posted a video of it for mass consumption? If they are not going to execute him, he should rot in jail until he dies.

 

Harsh political reality dictates realpolitik.

17 minutes ago, simple1 said:

 

Harsh political reality dictates realpolitik.

Just religious influences + military ties = Islamist militia Pakistani governments are unwilling to challenge, in accordance to public sentiment

A generalized anti-Muslim post and replies removed.   Continued with the bigoted nonsense and face a suspension.   The topic is clear and limited.  

 

2 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

An Islamic source is more reliable than a dhimi one, Aljazeera reports dozens on death row in Pakistan or serving life for so called blasphemy, or as we call it for having an opinion.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/8/pakistan-court-sentences-three-to-death-for-blasphemy

Which is what my link reported. There are some on death row, but it also stated no one has been put to death for blasphemy.

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

True enough. However, if I recall correctly Pakistan also hosted bin Laden for an unknown number of years, and it's difficult to convince me that was not known by the government.

When they succeed, reward them. If they fail, cut off all aid. Then quarantine them. Every year, billions of dollars in aid go to such countries, and what do more civilized nations have to show for it?

Would you call it civilized to free a person who beheaded someone innocent and posted a video of it for mass consumption? If they are not going to execute him, he should rot in jail until he dies.

I understand, but one must follow the laws and sentencing guidelines. 

Islamist militant freed in an Islamist country ? Who da thought it.

13 hours ago, Sujo said:

according to this washington post article no one has been executed for blasphemy in pakistan.

maybe not, officially!

Good.

 

He's served him time. ???? 

many years ago i had to spend time in Pakistan ,one of the most disgusting places i have ever been to ,almost as bad as Bangladesh .

6 hours ago, Sujo said:

I understand, but one must follow the laws and sentencing guidelines. 

  

True, and one may not perfectly agree with the penal code and still morally obey them.  Still, the Nuremberg Trials did set a limit on that, among other such trials.  

 

The year is 2021 and blasphemy is still a crime?  God forbid! ????