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CNN Saturday Morning News
U.S., Pakistani Authorities Search for Pearl's Killers
Aired February 23, 2002 - 09:09 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Authorities in the United States and Pakistan are working to bring those responsible for the murder of Daniel Pearl to justice. Pakistan's interior minister said yesterday that investigators now know who killed the American journalist.
With the latest, we go to CNN's Chris Burns in Karachi. He's been following this story. Hi, Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.
Well, officials here are being rather bullish about that, but they're not naming who these people are, and so far no arrests have been announced as of today.
The newspapers today, condemnation of the killing of Daniel Pearl, also carrying the government vow to crack down on the militants, to continue their crackdown, to catch all the kidnappers, and in President Pervez Musharraf's words, "to liquidate" the terrorists.
However, there's also condemnation and criticism from a leader of an Islamic party. He condemns, he condemns the killing of Daniel Pearl, but he also criticizes the government for, he says, what he calls "lawlessness," and he also criticizes the United States for supporting this government.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SYED MUNAWAR HASAN, RELIGIOUS LEADER: The American foreign policy, there's a reaction around the globe, that Americans are supporting state terrorism, the state terrorism in Russia against China, against the Chechens, the state terrorism of India against Kashmiris, the state terrorism of Israelis against Palestinian. And Americans themselves have started doing that in Afghanistan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: The top leader of that Islamic party has already been arrested and put behind bars behind the government here, so the government is obviously not very happy with what -- with those declarations.
The United States ambassador defends the Pakistan -- the policy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WENDY CHAMBERLAIN, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO PAKISTAN: After September 11, there was a very fundamental switch in Pakistani government's policy to support the attack on terrorism within Afghanistan. On January 12, there was an equally important pronouncement by President Musharraf in which he dedicated the government here to a campaign against terrorism anywhere in the world. And that has certainly been our experience, very close cooperation with the Pakistani officials at all levels.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: So latest word from the investigators here on the Pearl case is that all field units of the provincial police have been directed to look for the body of Daniel Pearl. Also there are efforts to arrest and identify those accused. Those efforts have been redoubled. They say they have important clues that could lead to new arrests. But so far, again, no major arrests.
The word from "The New York Times" today is saying that the key suspect behind bars right now, Sheikh Saeed, Sheikh Omar Saeed, is -- has told officials that the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl was part of a wider plot that was also to include an attack on the U.S. consulate here in Karachi. That has not yet been independently confirmed.
However, sources close to the investigation tell CNN that Sheik Omar Saeed had told investigators that harming American interests was his primary goal. More word from that, perhaps, to come on Monday when Sheik Omar Saeed goes before a judge -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Live in Karachi, Chris Burns, thank you so much.
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