Pakistan authorities appeal against acquittal of four convicted of beheading US journalist

KARACHI • Pakistan's provincial government yesterday appealed to the Supreme Court to review its decision to free an Islamist convicted of kidnapping and beheading American journalist Daniel Pearl, a day after the United States expressed "deep concerns" over the ruling.

A panel of three judges of the top court on Thursday acquitted British-born Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh and his three co-accused, who had been convicted in 2002 on charges of kidnapping and murdering the Wall Street Journal reporter.

The court ordered the Islamist and his co-accused released if they are not required in any other case.

The government in southern Sindh province filed a petition asking the top court to review its decision, the Pearl family's lawyer Faisal Siddiqi and the Sindh government's prosecutor told Reuters.

"We have filed three review petitions," prosecutor Faiz Shah said, explaining that the petitions would seek a reversal of the acquittal and the reinstatement of Sheikh's death penalty.

"Being aggrieved of and dissatisfied with the judgment, the petitioner files an instant criminal review petition for leave to appeal on matters of law, facts and grounds," according to the petition seeking a reversal of the acquittal.

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

A video of his beheading emerged weeks later.

His parents expressed shock over the Pakistan Supreme Court's decision, which US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called "an affront to terrorism victims everywhere, including in Pakistan".

Washington was also prepared to prosecute Sheikh in the US, Mr Blinken said.

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

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

Sheikh has long denied any involvement in Mr Pearl's abduction and murder, but the Supreme Court on Wednesday heard new evidence that he had acknowledged writing a letter in 2019 admitting a minor role.

That had raised hopes for some that he might remain in jail. Instead, the new ruling could bring to an end an 18-year case in which all four men originally arrested and charged with Mr Pearl's abduction and killing have now been acquitted.

The Pearls urged the US government to "correct this injustice".

REUTERS, NYTIMES