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CNN Live At Daybreak

Pearl's Family, Friends Struggle With His Death

Aired February 22, 2002 - 06:37   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get more on Daniel Pearl now. As you know, the American reporter is now reportedly dead. And as you might expect today will be very difficult to get through for his friends and his family.

CNN's Elaine Quijano is in Washington with reaction from relatives and friends.

Elaine, what can you tell us this morning?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Carol. After holding out hope for more than four weeks, relatives of American journalist Daniel Pearl are grieving now that authorities have confirmed his death. It's the news family and friends of Daniel Pearl had feared -- news they are now forced to accept. A family spokesman says they are shocked and saddened by the death of the 38-year old whose wife is pregnant with their first child.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any senseless murder lies beyond our comprehension. Danny was a beloved son, a brother and uncle, a husband, and a father to a child who will never know him.

QUIJANO: U.S. and Pakistani officials say Thursday they received a videotape containing - quote - "indisputable confirmation that the "Wall Street Journal" reporter had been killed". A government spokesman in the Pakistan province of Sindh says authorities there received the tape yesterday afternoon, and that it included scenes showing Pearl in captivity and of his death.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The murder is an act of barbarism. It makes a mockery of everything that Danny's kidnappers claim to believe in.

QUIJANO: Pearl disappeared January 23rd in Karachi, Pakistan while researching a story about possible ties between accused shoe bomber Richard Reid and the al Qaeda terrorist network. His kidnappers originally accused Pearl of spying for the CIA, a charge denied by both the U.S. government and the "Wall Street Journal". Overseas in Asia, President Bush expressed his condolences to Pearl's family.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're especially sad for his unborn child who will now know his father only through the memory of others. All Americans are sad and angry to learn of the murder. QUIJANO: And Pakistan's president is vowing to find those responsible for Pearl's death. Already several people have been arrested in connection with Pearl's kidnapping.

We're live in Washington. I'm Elaine Quijano, Carol back to you.

COSTELLO: The biggest factor now is finding Daniel Pearl's body. Right Elaine?

QUIJANO: That's exactly right and FBI officials in Pakistan are right now working with authorities there to try and trace some of those e-mails, to try and get a handle on exactly where his body might be. At this point, there is no indication as to when that videotape was actually made, when his death might have occurred, but at this point that, of course, is the priority and finding those, of course, who are responsible.

COSTELLO: Yes. No date on the video, no other faces except Pearl's. Thank you. Elaine Quijano reporting live for us from Washington this morning.

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