America irked at Pakistan over acquittal of Daniel Pearl’s killers

Voicing outrage over the acquittal of those involved in the brutal murder of Daniel Pearl in 2002, the White House has asked Pakistan to expeditiously review its legal options, including allowing the US to prosecute alQaeda terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and other suspects to secure justice for the American journalist's family.

Pearl, the 38-year-old South Asia bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, was visiting Pakistan to report on Islamist militant networks in the country and on the links between the country's powerful spy agency ISI and al-Qaeda following the September 11, 2001 terror strikes. He was kidnapped in Karachi, the capital of Sindh, and beheaded days later.

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed appeals against the acquittal of British-born al-Qaeda terrorist Sheikh in the kidnapping and murder case of Pearl and ordered his release, a judgement denounced by the American journalist's family as "a complete travesty of justice." The apex court cleared Sheikh and his three Pakistani accomplices in the case of all the charges, ordering that Sheikh and others be immediately freed from jail.

Hours after the ruling, White House press secretary Jen Psaki underlined the new Biden administration's commitment to secure justice for Pearl's family.

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.

"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 Pakistan's apex court's decision.