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American Morning

U.S. Officials Have Confirmed Arrests of At Least Three People in Connection with Missing Reporter

Aired February 06, 2002 - 08:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Some positive news now to talk about in the case of kidnapped "Wall Street Journal" reporter Daniel Pearl, who has been missing now for two weeks. U.S. officials have confirmed the arrests of at least three people on suspicion that they were involved in sending the e-mail messages and pictures of the American reporter.

CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Karachi. He has the very latest on that -- good morning, Ben. What do you have?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Paula. Well, Pakistani police have identified, but not apprehended, a man they are describing as the ringleader of the group behind the kidnapping of "Wall Street Journal" reporter Daniel Pearl. They say the ringleader's name is Sheikh Omar Saeed. He is a Pakistani militant, who was educated in Britain. He holds a British passport.

Until the 31st of December, 1999, he was held by the Indian authorities, accused of terrorist activities in the disputed territory of Kashmir. He was freed, however, following a deal cut between the Indians and the hijackers to lead -- or rather to free a hijacked Indian airlines plane that had been diverted to Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Now, Saeed is closely linked to two banned hard-line Islamic groups here in Pakistan, one called Harakat ul-Mujahedeen, the other, Jaish-e-Mohammed. Now, both of these groups themselves are close to the network -- the al Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden.

The key to identifying Saeed was the arrest, as you mentioned before, Paula, of three men, one of whom apparently had a computer on which was found two e-mails, which had the photographs of Mr. Pearl taken in captivity. Now, according to sources close to the investigation, one of these three men is being very cooperative, and he was the one who pointed to Saeed's involvement the kidnapping.

So a step forward in identifying the group holding Mr. Pearl, but not quite that crucial breakthrough leading to his freedom -- Paula.

ZAHN: But a step nevertheless. All right, Ben Wedeman, thanks so much for that update.

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