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CNN Live At Daybreak

Four Islamic Militants Convicted, Sentenced

Aired July 15, 2002 - 06:01   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Four Islamic militants were convicted and sentenced today for the kidnapping and murder of "Wall Street Journal" reporter, Daniel Pearl. The accused ringleader, British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, was sentenced to death.

CNN's Tom Mintier has been covering that trial for us. He is joining us now from -- by videophone from Islamabad, Pakistan -- Tom.

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, this verdict was never really in doubt; the timing was. At the end of the trial a week ago, the judge decided to reserve his verdict. He did offer it in a written opinion rather than orally from the bench. So when the trial ended after the defense and prosecution had completed their summation, he retired for nearly a week to make his decision. Well, he came into court this morning and made his decision very early and very quick.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Security was tight in Hyderabad, as the judge in the kidnapping and murder trial of U.S. reporter Daniel Pearl handed down the guilty verdicts.

All four defendants were found guilty, but only one, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, also known simply as Sheikh Omar, was given the harshest sentence: death. The death penalty in Pakistan is traditionally carried out by hanging.

The first reaction came from "The Wall Street Journal," Daniel Pearl's employer: "We continue to mourn Danny Pearl, and we continue to hope that everyone responsible for his kidnapping and murder will be brought to justice. Today's verdict is one step in that direction."

A step that brought a threat from the man sentenced to die, Sheikh Omar. It was delivered by his attorney -- quote: "I will see whether who wants to kill me will first kill me or get himself killed," said Omar. The message went on to say, "It is a decisive war between Islam and Kafir," a word used to describe infidel's or non- Muslims, "and everyone is individually proving on which side he is."

The chief prosecutor case, who asked the court for the death penalty for all four defendants, says this was a case of terrorism.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then after the arguments were heard and the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) judge (ph) announced the judgment today convicting by holding that these acts are acts of terrorism, nationally and internationally, and I am pleased that the objective of the law of terrorism has been achieved by securing the convictions of the accused persons.

MINTIER: The next move in the case will be the filing of appeals by defense attorneys to Pakistan's high court, an appeal expected to be launched within a week's time.

Sheikh Omar is said to have had strong links to Muslim fundamentalists groups since he dropped out of the London School of Economics in 1993. He is currently under indictment by U.S. courts for kidnapping charges of American tourists in south Asia. He was in prison in India until he was released in exchange for hostages during a hijacking of an Air India flight that ended up in Afghanistan New Year's Eve, 1999.

Omar was reported to have slipped into Pakistan after the hijacking, and surfaced when he was arrested in February and charged with the kidnapping and murder of "Wall Street Journal" reporter, Daniel Pearl.

A body believed to be Pearl's was discovered in a shallow grave in Karachi on May 17. DNA tests on the remains have not been made public, and were not presented in court during the trial.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

While the trial may be over, the convictions handed down, including the death sentence, the case of Daniel Pearl is far from over. Police say they are still searching for at least six other suspects that may have been directly involved in the murder of Daniel Pearl. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) happening, it's quite possible that the terrorists may lash out, not against another act, but against the verdict.

I am Tom Mintier, CNN, reporting live from Islamabad, Pakistan.

CALLAWAY: And quickly, Tom, what is the next legal step now?

MINTIER: The next legal step may be starting as we speak right now. The high court has been told by the government to clear its docket and be standing by for this case, so that it could be heard very quickly. It's quite possible that in four or five days, the high court will have not only heard it, but made its decision.

So the government officials have already put the high court on notice, even before the verdict was handed down, that they would probably be receiving the case late this afternoon.

CALLAWAY: Things move fast in Pakistan. CNN's Tom Mintier, thank you very much.

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