US outraged as Pakistan's SC acquits Daniel Pearl's murderers; gives Imran ultimatum

Hitting out at Pakistan Supreme Court's decision to acquit terrorists involved in the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl, the White House has expressed outrage and said that the judgment is an "affront" to terrorism victims everywhere.

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed appeals against the acquittal of British-born al-Qaeda terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in the kidnapping and murder case of Pearl, the 38-year-old South Asia bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal and ordered his release, a judgment denounced by the American journalist's family as "a complete travesty of justice."

Sheikh and his three aides - Fahad Naseem, Sheikh Adil and Salman Saqib - were convicted and sentenced in the abduction and murder case of Pearl in Karachi in 2002.

'US is outraged by Pakistan SC's decision'

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, during her daily news conference on Thursday, said, "The United States is outraged by the Pakistani Supreme Court's decision to affirm the acquittals of those responsible for Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl's kidnapping and brutal murder which shocked the world's conscience in 2002."

"This decision to exonerate and release Sheikh and the other suspects is an affront to terrorism victims everywhere, including in Pakistan. We recognise past Pakistani actions to try to hold Mr Pearl's murderers accountable, and we do note that as of right now, Omar Sheikh remains in detention in Pakistan under national security authorities," she said. 

"But we call on the Pakistani government to expeditiously review its legal options including allowing the United States to prosecute for the brutal murder of an American citizen and journalist," Psaki said in response to a question on the latest development in Pakistan.

The United States, she said, is committed to securing justice for Pearl's family and holding terrorists anywhere accountable for their heinous crimes.

Blinken issues strong-worded statement

Reacting to the acquittal, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a strongly-worded statement, urged Pakistan to explore all legal options to ensure that the killers of Pearl are brought to justice.

"We expect the Pakistani government to expeditiously review its legal options to ensure justice is served. We take note of the Attorney General's statement that he intends to seek review and recall of the decision. We are also prepared to prosecute Sheikh in the United States for his horrific crimes against an American citizen," US State Department release quoted Blinken.

"Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh was indicted in the United States in 2002 for hostage-taking and conspiracy to commit hostage-taking, resulting in the murder of Pearl, the South Asia Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal, as well as the 1994 kidnapping of another United States citizen in India," the statement added.

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Pearl's murder took place three years after Sheikh, along with Jaish-e-Mohammad 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 a prison term in India for kidnappings of Western tourists in the country.

Ruth and Judea Pearl - the parents of Pearl - criticised the judgment that would endanger the lives of journalists everywhere, said Faisal Siddiqi, the Pearl family lawyer. The US has been mounting pressure on Pakistan, demanding justice for Pearl. Last month, the US said it is ready to take custody of Sheikh, asserting that Washington will not allow him to evade justice.

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(With agency inputs)