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Pakistan: Daniel Pearl Believed to Be Dead

Aired February 21, 2002 - 20:00   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.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Chris Burns in Karachi, Pakistan. It's 6:00 a.m. on Friday. We look in this half hour of American journalist Daniel Pearl, all this next on LIVE FROM PAKISTAN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL STEIGER, MANAGING EDITOR, WALL STREET JOURNAL: We now believe that Danny Pearl was killed by his captors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Confirmation that a Wall Street Journal reporter kidnapped last month in Pakistan, is dead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Coming to terms with the death of a loved one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY FOSTER, PEARL FAMILY SPOKESMAN: We grieve with the many who have known him in his life, and we weep for a world that must reckon with his death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: LIVE FROM PAKISTAN, Chris Burns.

BURNS: The death of Daniel Pearl comes as a shock to many, here as well as in the United States and around the world. There were hopes over the last few weeks, ever since January 23rd, hopes that rose and were dashed over whether Daniel Pearl would be released.

However, in the last few hours, we have seen, we have heard that there was a videotape given to officials showing Daniel Pearl speaking and then being killed in cold blood by his captors.

The official statement from the government here says that around 11:00 p.m. a videotape was received, 11:00 p.m. last night. The recorded video contained what it says, scenes showing Mr. Daniel Pearl in captivity, and scenes of his murder by the kidnappers. The tape appears to be correct.

A very chilling statement, the statement goes on to say that there was an arraignment. There was a hearing of one of those who was arrested. His name is Fahad Naseem. He was the one who had sent the e-mails earlier, just after Daniel Pearl was kidnapped on January 23rd, showing him in captivity, showing him with a gun to his head, demanding that the United States release Pakistani prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay from the Afghan conflict.

Ever since then, the investigation has been a dragnet across this country of more than 145 million people, as the government has continued to arrest dozens of people, including family members of some of the suspected, trying to track down who had actually been holding Daniel Pearl.

There are people in captivity; however, the government has failed to, as we see, find the actual captors of Daniel Pearl. His captivity has ended tragically. The investigation goes on.

In this next half hour, we look at the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl, as well as the death and the aftermath of Daniel Pearl's kidnapping. We will speak to some of Daniel Pearl's colleagues, his family, and we will also hear from President George Bush from China.

Joining me during this next half hour are some of my colleagues, David Ensor in Washington, Michael Okwu in New York, and Eric Horng in California, where Daniel Pearl comes from.

Let's start with David Ensor in Washington. David, what do you have to tell us?

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Chris, I'm afraid that U.S. officials I've spoken to say that the tape has on it in very graphic detail, it shows the death itself of Daniel Pearl. They say there's no question at all, having seen that tape, that he's dead, and they're expressing anger and disgust at what they see on the videotape.

The State Department put out a statement earlier today saying that the murder of Mr. Pearl is an outrage, and we condemn it, both the United States and Pakistan are committed to identifying all the perpetrators of this crime and bringing them to justice.

At the Justice Department, the Attorney General put out a statement, vowing to bring to justice terrorists who kill innocent Americans. And my colleague, Susan Candiotti, our colleague, tells us that her sources say a Grand Jury has, in fact, been convened and is considering possible Felony charges against a number of individuals, including Ahmed Omar Saeed, Sheikh and possibly also Fahad Naseem that you mentioned earlier.

So there's a lot of outrage in this town tonight, as there is in many places of the world, that this has gone this way and, as I say, officials confirming that the actual killing of Daniel Pearl is on that videotape. Chris.

BURNS: David, let me ask you, the FBI had been involved in tracking down through the e-mails that have been sent, tracking down some of these suspects, and in fact at last word we hear from here that, in fact, the Pakistani journalist who had received that videotape last night passed it to an American law enforcement official. Do you know anything more about that?

ENSOR: I have heard that as well, but I haven't heard it from sources that I could say were sure it's correct. Apparently, the videotape came through a circuitous route, through a Pakistani to an American law enforcement official. But the exact details, I just don't think we have source to a level where we can give them to the public with confidence. Chris.

BURNS: David Ensor, thank you very much. David Ensor in Washington. We go now to a statement by the publisher and managing editor of the Wall Street Journal, who says that Pearl's death is heartbreaking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEIGER: We just have a brief statement, which I'd like to read to you if I might.

We now believe, based on reports from the U.S. State Department and police officials in the Pakistani province of Sindh, that Danny Pearl was killed by his captors. We're heartbroken at his death. Danny was an outstanding colleague, a great reporter, and a dear friend of many at the Journal.

His murder is an act of barbarism. It makes a mockery of everything that Danny's kidnappers claim to believe in. They claim to be Pakistani nationalists, but their actions must surely bring shame to all true Pakistani patriots.

We will, in the coming months, find ways public and private to celebrate the great work and good works that Danny did. But today is a day to grieve. The loss is, of course, most painful with Danny's family in the United States and elsewhere.

We ask our colleagues in the media to respect their privacy and to permit them to grieve undisturbed. The Wall Street Journal is a public institution but the Pearl's are private citizens.

We hope also that our colleagues at the Journal will be permitted some time and space to begin the very difficult process of making peace with this profound loss.

I thank everyone around the world, including many in the media for their many expressions of support for Danny. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNS: Outside the "Wall Street Journal" headquarters is CNN's Michael Okwu -- Michael. MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Chris, good evening. Some of the Wall Street Journal staffers that we have spoken to tonight said that just up until the very bitter end, they were holding on to a very real hope that Danny Peal might, in fact, still be alive.

I'm standing in front of one of three Wall Street Journal offices in Manhattan. Some 120 reporters and editors of the Journal were relocated to this particular location after their main offices, near Ground Zero, were largely destroyed on September 11th.

So you can imagine that the past five months for Wall Street Journal staffers have been very difficult and, indeed, very emotional. Now colleagues of Pearl's describe him as a likable, intelligent young man with a quirky sensibility.

His boss, Managing Editor Paul Steiger, who we just heard from, said that this was a man who lived for his family, for his wife Mariane, for his unborn son, and for covering stories accurately. Staffers tell us that the atmosphere inside has been very, very quiet and very somber.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS RUMORE, WSJ EMPLOYEE: I'm sure we're all going to be grieving and the next couple of weeks we're going to be having meetings, and we're going to talk more about it, you know, and celebrate his life and try to find some positive thing and realize that his life was about taking people that were very different than him and, like his wife said it too, his wife said it the best that their lives were based on dialogues between civilizations, you know.

And unfortunately, he became a casualty of that, and we just have to - I mean reporters have to look at things stoically and as they are, try to take away emotion and just the facts, you know, and it's going to be very difficult for us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OKWU: Very difficult indeed. The fact is that there is much sadness here at the Wall Street Journal, and yet staffers still have to go to work, have to roll up their sleeves and continue working to put out a paper for tomorrow morning.

Now his colleagues were looking forward, of course, to hearing Danny Pearl's first person account of his days in captivity. That was a story that was going to be told, of course, first in the Wall Street Journal, and clearly a story that none of us will have the opportunity of reading. Chris.

BURNS: An emotional one-two punch for the staff of the Wall Street Journal, after September 11th and the death of Daniel Pearl. Thank you, Eric -- thank you, Michael.

We go now to Eric Horng in Encino, California. That is where Daniel Pearl had come from. His family is there. His loved ones are there. Eric, what are they saying? What are they feeling? ERIC HORNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Chris, Daniel Pearl was born in New Jersey, but he essentially had very close ties to the West Coast, essentially growing up here in the San Fernando Valley of southern California, attended high school in the community of Van Nuys, went to college at Stamford University in northern California.

His parents Judda (ph) and Judea (ph) Pearl, currently live here in the community of Encino near Los Angeles. They have not been visible this entire day, as you might imagine, mourning the loss of their son in quiet seclusion, choosing not to speak with reporters, but instead issuing this statement through a family spokesman:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: We were shocked and saddened at the confirmation that our worst fears had been realized. Up until a few hours ago, we were confident that Danny would return safely, for we believe no human being would be capable of harming such a gentle soul.

Danny's senseless murder lies beyond our comprehension. Danny was a blood son, a brother, an uncle, a husband, and a father to a child who will never know him, a musician, a writer, a storyteller, and a bridge builder. Danny was a walking sunshine of truth, humor, friendship and compassion.

We grieve with the many who have known him in his life, and we weep for a world that must reckon with his death. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HORNG: Spokesman Gary Foster not answering questions from reporters after that statement, saying that the family wishing for some privacy. Mr. Foster has been speaking on behalf of the Pearl family here in Encino for the last few weeks. Understand that they have grown quite close during this ordeal.

A number of other close family friends have been seen entering and leaving the home here in Encino throughout the afternoon, so we do believe that the Pearl, the parents of Daniel Pearl are here.

It's unclear whether Daniel Pearl's two sisters are here as well, and it's also unclear whether the Pearl family will be traveling to Washington or elsewhere in the coming days. In Encino, California I'm Eric Horng, reporting live. Chris, back to you.

BURNS: Eric, thank you very much. We now go to Beijing, where President George Bush has been wrapping up a three-nation Asian tour. It's his last stop and this morning, he was roused with this tragic news. He reacted now to the death with this statement.

We now go to John King who's now reporting. John King now reports from Beijing.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Chris.

BURNS: John, what do you have to say about the -- what is being said now among the Bush entourage?

KING: Chris, good morning to you from Beijing. President Bush told very early this morning, here in Beijing, of the tragic developments, told by senior U.S. officials back in Washington that the government had come into possession of a horrifying videotape, showing graphic, and what we are told is indisputable evidence of the murder of Daniel Pearl in Pakistan.

Mr. Bush here in Asia wrapping up his three-country tour, one final day of meetings with senior Chinese officials, but before heading off to a breakfast meeting with the Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, Mr. Bush stopped and briefly spoke to reporters, offering his condolences to the Pearl family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Laura and I and the American people are deeply saddened to learn about the loss of Daniel Pearl's life, and we're really sad for his wife and his parents and his friends and colleagues, who have been clinging to hope for weeks that he'd be found alive. We're especially sad for his unborn child, who will now know his father only through the memory of others.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The president's tone then changed from one of condolences to one of consternation and contempt, Mr. Bush saying that his resolve to complete the War against Terrorism and extremism only strengthened. Mr. Bush said he was determined that those responsible now for the murder of "Wall Street Journal" reporter, Daniel Pearl, be brought to justice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Those who would threaten Americans, those who would engage in criminal, barbaric acts need to know that these crimes only hurt their cause, and only deepen the resolve of the United States of America to rid the world of these agents of terror. May God bless Daniel Pearl.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: U.S. officials have been in constant contact with the government of Pakistan throughout the investigation. They say in recent hours that government has renewed its commitment to track down, arrest and bring to justice those responsible, first for the kidnapping, now for the murder of Daniel Pearl.

U.S. officials say obviously they are very disappointed by this tragic development, but they do say they believe they are receiving the full cooperation of the Pakistani government in the investigation. Chris.

BURNS: John, the FBI was known to have been part of this investigation, at least in providing the computer expertise in tracking down some of the suspects with the e-mail exchanges. Is there any more you can say about if you've heard about whether the U.S. investigators, the U.S. presence in this investigation might be increased and boosted and strengthened now that Daniel Pearl we found he has been killed?

KING: We have every expectation that will be the case, Chris. We know the FBI and other U.S. intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies working closely with the Pakistani government throughout Pakistan during the investigation.

Obviously, the U.S. administration now reacting to this tragic development and deciding where to go next, but you can certainly expect a full commitment. You heard it in the President's own words today. He wants to know what happened here and who is held responsible.

U.S. officials have voiced some frustration at the pace of the investigation, obviously. But they say that is because of the difficulty of the circumstance. They by no means blame the government of Pakistan, but certainly they want to work closely with the government of Pakistan to get to the bottom of this. Chris.

BURNS: John King, thanks very much. When we come back, we'll have a statement from as former journalist hostage, Terry Anderson, as well as a look at the life of Daniel Pearl. Stay with us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEIGER: This is a man who lives for three things. He lives for covering stories accurately. He lives for his wife. They have a wonderful relationship, and he lives for his unborn child.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BURNS: Welcome back to LIVE FROM PAKISTAN. Terry Anderson was an Associated Press reporter when he was snatched off the street in Lebanon, in Beirut, Lebanon in 1985.

I was an AP reporter then, and I was at AP radio and heard, as we kept the phone lines open with his colleagues in Beirut, as we desperately hoped that he would be released. It would be seven years before he would be released, seven years.

Terry Anderson made a statement just a few minutes ago from New York City. This is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERRY ANDERSON, FORMER HOSTAGE: The Committee to Protect Journalists, like everyone, is shocked and dismayed by the brutal murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Danny Pearl. It's pointless. It's senseless. It's cruel.

Most of us at the CPJ had not had the opportunity to know Danny personally, but we knew him by reputation by his byline, by his reporting. We knew him to be a courageous and intelligent and well- informed reporter who is dedicated, as most foreign correspondents are, to searching for and reporting the truth.

Those who murdered him gained absolutely nothing. There was no purpose to his death, political or otherwise. They didn't even gain publicity for the cause that they supposedly espouse. On the contrary, they discredit their cause. They discredit everyone who uses religion to justify violence. It's just such a senseless and pointless murder that it's outrageous.

Anybody who kidnaps a reporter or any civilian for political purposes is committing truly a terrorist act, and they need to be caught and prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law. And we call, the Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Pakistani government to do exactly that, to use all of their resources to catch the people who kidnapped and murdered Danny Pearl and hold them to account.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNS: Barely a month ago, Daniel Pearl was on bylines, not on headlines, but that changed on January 23. Brian Cabell has a story on Daniel Pearl's life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The man behind that now famous but frightening image, the photograph of a hostage with a gun to his head, was born 38 years ago in Princeton, New Jersey.

Daniel Pearl was a bright young man, who graduated Stanford University with a degree in communications. Journalism was his calling. He returned to the northeast to begin his career.

GREER HORNER, FORMER EDITOR, BERKSHIRE EAGLE: It was such a sharp kid, that you knew he was going places.

TOM NEELEY: Almost everything he said was either amusing or insightful.

CABELL: He joined the Berkshire Eagle in Massachusetts in 1988, won an award for a story the following year.

CLARENCE VANTO, MANAGING EDITOR, BERKSHIRE EAGLE: The way he interviewed people and the way he wrote stories, made it clear that he was destined for the big leagues.

CABELL: And the big leagues it was. The Wall Street Journal hired him in 1990 and over the next decade, he would see the world. He was first headquartered in Atlanta, then Washington, then overseas to London, then to Paris, where he met his wife, Mariane.

MARIANE PEARL: We are two people who met and fell in love because we have the same ideal, you know. And all my life, all his life and our life together is just a big effort to try to create dialog between civilizations.

CABELL: His next stop was the Indian city of Mumbai, better known as Bombay. He arrived there in December of 2000, and his most recent articles for the Journal had dealt with the increasing tensions between India and Pakistan. He was in Karachi, working on a story on the Islamic militant underground when he was kidnapped on January 23. Initially, his captors claimed he was an agent for the CIA.

RICHARD BOUCHER, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: Mr. Pearl is a respected journalist. He has no connection with our government.

CABELL: Later, his captors claimed Pearl worked for Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency. His colleagues at the Wall Street Journal called the charges unfounded. Pearl, they said, was a top- flight journalist, nothing more.

STEIGER: This is a man who lives for three things. He lives for covering stories accurately. He lives for his wife. They have a wonderful relationship, and he lives for his unborn child.

CABELL: His wife is pregnant with their first child.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BURNS: CNN's Brian Cabell. After a break, we'll come back. I'll have some final thoughts from LIVE FROM PAKISTAN. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BURNS: Some final thoughts here LIVE FROM PAKISTAN. I've never had to eulogize a fellow journalist, and I've never met Daniel Pearl, but I do feel a bond with him. We both grew up in Southern California, a place where you -- farthest away from here you could imagine, but a place where you learn to seek the truth, seek the truth as a journalist and perhaps I might be a bit more careful in seeking the truth.

As a fellow journalist, we will be seeking with the same passion and with the same fire in the belly, and our condolences to the family of Daniel Pearl. I'm Chris Burns, good night.

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