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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 29 sepTember 2020
Pakistan's top court accepts appeal by Daniel Pearl's family

By KATHY GANNON fered a heart attack while
Associated Press arguing the case in the
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Paki- lower court, but remained
stan's Supreme Court on confident the acquittal
Monday accepted an ap- would stand.
peal by the family of slain "I have no doubt in my
American journalist Daniel mind," Shaikh said. He said
Pearl seeking to keep a his doctors ordered him to
British-born Pakistani man remain on bed rest for the
on death row over the be- next two weeks, throwing
heading of the Wall Street into question whether the
Journal reporter. Supreme Court hearing will
The court delayed until happen next week.
next week hearing the ap- The Sindh provincial gov-
peal over the lower-court ernment also is appealing
acquittal of Ahmed Omar Shiekh's acquittal.
Saeed Sheikh, who had Pearl, 38, of Encino, Cali-
been on death row since fornia, was abducted Jan.
his conviction in 2002 over 23, 2002. In Sheikh's origi-
Pearl's killing. nal trial, emails between
The Supreme Court or- Sheikh and Pearl present-
dered Sheikh to remain in ed in court showed Sheikh
custody but Faisal Siddiqi, gained Pearl's confidence
the lawyer for Pearl's family, sharing their experiences as
told The Associated Press both waited for the birth of
on Monday the court will In this March 29, 2002, file photo, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the alleged mastermind behind their first child. Pearl's wife
decide next week whether the Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl's kidnap-slaying, appears at the court in Karachi, Marianne Pearl gave birth
Sheikh will remain impris- Pakistan. to a son, Adam, in May
oned during the course of Associated Press 2002.
the appeal, which could ceration. lesser charge of abduction, and return him to death Evidence entered into
be years. Sheikh had been convict- which he is also appealing. row. court accused Sheikh of lur-
The government has ar- ed of helping lure Pearl The acquittal stunned the "There is eyewitness evi- ing Pearl to his death, giv-
gued against Sheikh's re- to a meeting in the south- U.S. government, Pearl's dence, there is forensic evi- ing the American journalist
lease, despite his acquittal ern Pakistani port city of family and journalism ad- dence, there are confes- a false sense of security as
in April, saying it would en- Karachi in which he was vocacy groups. sional statements," Siddiqi he promised to introduce
danger the public. But the kidnapped. Pearl had "We felt like (it was) a thun- said. him to a cleric with militant
Supreme Court will rule on been investigating the link derstorm that is about to Among the confessional links.
that next week, Siddiqi said. between Pakistani mili- reopen our pains of 2002," statements is a handwrit- Pakistani police sought to
He said Pakistan's top court tants and Richard C. Reid, Pearl's father Judea Pearl ten, July 19, 2019 letter by locate Pearl for weeks un-
expressed concern about dubbed the "Shoe Bomber" told The Associated Press Sheikh that acknowledged til a video received by U.S.
keeping Sheikh locked up after trying to blow up a in an email Monday. "Paki- his involvement in Pearl's diplomats showed his be-
even though he stands ac- flight from Paris to Miami stan's judicial system caved killing, Siddiqi said. In the heading.
quitted. with explosives hidden in to either inside or outside letter, Sheikh said his in- The 2019 letter by Sheikh
"The appeal could take his shoes. pressure to send a mes- volvement in Pearl's death was not among the evi-
years," said Siddiqi. "Today The lower court's April ruling sage of impunity to extrem- was "a relatively minor dence heard by the lower
the court admitted the ap- acquitted Sheikh and three ist elements worldwide." one." However, Siddiqi said court that in April acquit-
peal and next week it will other accomplices, who Following Monday's court Sheikh implicates himself in ted Sheikh on a number
decide if Sheikh stays in jail" had been sentenced to hearing, the Pearl family's Pearl's killing with that ad- of charges, including the
until the appeal is decided. life in jail for their role in the lawyer, Siddiqi, said there mission. most serious of the kidnap-
The family is arguing for plot. The lower court found was "ample evidence" to Sheikh's lawyer, Mahmood ping for ransom that lead
Sheikh's continued incar- Sheikh guilty on a single overturn Sheikh's appeal Shaikh, told the AP he suf- to Pearl's slaying.q
Saudi Arabia arrests 10 with alleged ties to Iran's Guard

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia tober 2017 on manufac- those detained have not tionally. Saudi Arabia has accuse Iran of interfer-
(AP) — Saudi Arabia said turing explosives. been revealed because blamed Iran of being be- ing in Yemen by backing
Monday its security forces The cell was broken up by an investigation is still on- hind attacks on Saudi oil the Houthis when they
uncovered a "terrorist cell" security forces on Sept. going. targets last year, including ousted the internationally-
with alleged ties to Iran's 23, with weapons such Sunni-led Saudi Arabia a missile and drone strike backed government from
Revolutionary Guard and as sniper rifles and pistols and Shiite-ruled Iran are on Aramco's largest crude the capital in late 2014,
have detained 10 people confiscated at two loca- longtime rivals, though oil processing plant in the prompting the Saudi-led
in connection. tions, the security agency tensions have steadily in- eastern part of the king- war there.
A statement issued by the said. creased in recent years dom. This month, neighboring
Presidency of State Se- The security body did not between the powerhouse Yemeni rebel Houthis Bahrain said it broke up a
curity, which is overseen provide much further de- Persian Gulf countries, par- claimed responsibility for plot by militants backed
by the king and crown tail or evidence regard- ticularly since the Trump that attack and Iran has by Iran earlier this year to
prince, said three of those ing the alleged cell, such administration began re- denied involvement. A launch attacks on diplo-
detained had received in which Saudi cities they imposing sanctions on U.N. probe concluded mats and foreigners in the
training in Iran by the were arrested. The state- Iran that effectively block the missiles were of Irani- island nation home to the
paramilitary group in Oc- ment said the identities of it from selling its oil interna- an origin. The Saudis also U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.q