Four men in Daniel Pearl case rearrested

Pakistani authorities said Friday that four men had been rearrested in the abduction and killing of American journalist Daniel Pearl after a court overturned their convictions just the day before. The government will appeal their acquittals to Pakistan’s Supreme Court, officials said.

On Thursday, the High Court in Sindh province overturned the murder conviction of Ahmed Omar Sheikh, a high-profile British-born militant accused of masterminding the 2002 abduction and killing of Pearl. It also tossed his death sentence, reducing it to seven years, a move that would have allowed him to be freed for time served. The convictions of three other men in the case on murder and terrorism charges were also overturned.

The court decision was widely condemned by American officials and journalists’ groups. Welcoming Pakistan’s move to appeal Friday, a senior State Department official said, “The overturning of the convictions for Daniel Pearl’s murder is an affront to victims of terrorism everywhere.”

The official, Alice Wells, added, “Those responsible for Daniel’s heinous kidnapping and murder must face the full measure of justice.”

The Pakistani Interior Ministry said Friday in a statement that the men’s release was halted after they were rearrested through a measure allowing the government to hold suspects for three months.

The ministry said it “reiterates its commitment to follow due process under the laws of the country to bring terrorists to task.”