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Grand Jury Indicts Omar Saeed Sheikh in Pearl's Kidnapping

Aired March 14, 2002 - 14:02   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: More now on the federal indictment of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the suspected mastermind in the plot to kidnap Daniel Pearl. Jonathan Aiken watching this story live in D.C. with more now -- Jonathan.

JONATHAN AIKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Bill. The Justice Department, as you mentioned, within the hour out with details of two indictments against Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh. The first involves the death of Daniel Pearl, the "Wall Street Journal" reporter. He disappeared in January, and his death was confirmed through a brutal videotape shot by his captors and released three weeks ago.

That indictment charges Saeed, who is a British citizen, with one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking that resulted in Pearl's death. And the second count of the indictment is the hostage taking itself.

Now, the attorney general said that he met with Pearl's widow, Mariane, just before he faced reporters. He wanted to let her know the actions that the United States was about to take.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: The United States has not forsaken your husband nor the values that he embodied and cherished. The story of Daniel Pearl that he died trying to tell will be told, and justice will be done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AIKEN: This indictment was brought up by a federal grand jury that's sitting in Trenton, New Jersey. And it also alleges that Saeed trained in military camps in or around September or October of last year, military camps in Afghanistan. The indictment goes on to say that Saeed also spent time fighting with both Taliban and al Qaeda forces.

The second indictment the attorney general talked about is actually an old one. It comes out of a grand jury action in Washington. It was returned in November of last year but had been kept under seal until today. That indictment charges Saeed with three counts, including kidnapping, conspiracy and aiding and abetting in connection with the kidnapping of an American tourist, Bela Nuss. Bela Nuss one of several Western tourists in India targeted for abduction back in 1994.

Now, as for Saeed, he is in custody. He is in Pakistan, in custody in connection with Pearl's murder. His legal future isn't entirely clear, Bill. Pakistan has said in the past it wants to try Saeed in Pakistan. This indictment and the release of the details of November's indictment really are a marker being laid down by U.S. officials. They want to let Islamabad know in no uncertain terms that Washington would like to see Saeed brought to the United States for a trial at some point -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Jonathan. Thank you.

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