Washington: The United States (US) criticised Friday a Pakistani court for overturning the death sentence of British-born top al-Qaeda leader who was convicted in the abduction and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl. The US termed the verdict an ‘affront’ to victims of terrorism everywhere.
The US response came after the Sindh High Court found the 46-year-old Sheikh guilty of the lesser charge of kidnapping and commuted Thursday his death sentence to seven years in prison.
Al-Qaeda leader Sheikh has been in jail for the past 18 years after being convicted in Daniel Pearl’s murder in Karachi in 2002 in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attack.
A two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha also acquitted the three others – Fahad Naseem, Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil – serving life sentences in the case.
“The overturning of the convictions for Daniel Pearl’s murder is an affront to victims of terrorism everywhere,” Alice Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, said in a tweet. But the diplomat welcomed Pakistani prosecutors’ indications that they would appeal the decision.
“We welcome Pakistan’s decision to appeal the verdict. Those responsible for Daniel Pearl’s heinous kidnapping and murder must face the full measure of justice,” Wells said.
Pearl, the 38-year-old South Asia bureau chief for ‘The Wall Street Journal’, was abducted and beheaded while he was in Pakistan investigating a story on the alleged links between the country’s powerful spy agency ISI and al-Qaeda.
In another tweet, Congressman Eliot Engel, chairman of the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee said he was deeply concerned by Pakistan court’s overturning of convictions for the abduction and killing of Pearl.
“It’s critical Pakistan demonstrate a real commitment to addressing its longstanding terrorism problem by holding those involved accountable,” Engel tweeted.
Congressman Brad Sherman spoke to Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US to convey his view on the court verdict. “This court decision is outrageous and will hopefully be reversed by a higher court,” Sherman said. “We are appalled by the court’s decision to overturn the murder conviction of Omar Saeed Sheikh and release him from prison” he added.
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Commissioner Anurima Bhargava said the verdict showed not only the lack of accountability for Pearl’s murder but also the misplaced priorities of the Pakistani legal system.
Sheikh, who was the mastermind behind abduction and killing of Pearl, was arrested from Lahore in February 2002 and sentenced to death five months later by an anti-terrorism court.
The incident had come three years after Sheikh, along with Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, was released by India in 1999 and given safe passage to Afghanistan in exchange for the nearly 150 passengers of hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814. He was serving prison term in India for kidnappings of Western tourists in the country.
AFP