|
Prime Suspect: Pearl Might Be Dead
 |
| Omar, center, said that Pearl was dead |
By
Aamir Latif - IOL Pakistan correspondent
KARACHI,
Feb. 14 (IslamOnline) - Sheikh Omar Saeed, the prime suspect in the kidnapping
of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl told an anti-terrorism court
in the southern city of Karachi on Thursday that he thought the kidnapped
reporter was dead. "As far as I understand, he is dead," British-born
Saeed Sheikh, commonly known as Sheikh Omar, told the court.
However,
the police authorities are doubting Omar's statement saying he had confessed
that he had not been in touch with his aides getting hold of Pearl for last
three weeks. "We cannot say anything specific in this regard. The chances
are fifty-fifty. He (Pearl) may be alive and may be dead," a senior police
official told IslamOnline requesting not to be named.
Pearl
went missing on January 23 as he tried to contact the leader of a little-known
Islamic group and was working on a story about possible links between alleged
shoe bomber Richard Reid and Osama bin Laden.
Omar
was produced in the court of Judge Arshad Noor Khan amidst tight security and
with his face covered with a cloth. Omar removed the cloth from his face and
asked the judge that he wanted to say something.
Police
personnel tried to control him but the judge asked them to allow him to speak.
He told the court that he did not want to defend his case as he confessed the
charges against him. "Whatever I did, right or wrong, I justify and confess
it", he said in a fluent English adding that Pakistan should not be
catering to the American needs.
It
is however unclear as to whether he "confessed" kidnapping the U.S.
reporter or the charges leveled by police. Police charged him in the court for
financing the three suspects, Salman, Adeel and Fahad, who have already been in
custody, to send emails to the newspapers.
Omar
also denied the police claim that he had been arrested on February 12 saying
"I myself gave up on February 5, to save my family from harassment. Now I
am in your custody, therefore my family should not be harassed any more,"
he maintained. He said, "I know that America wants my extradition."
Replying
to his contention, the ATC Judge said, "I cannot be influenced by anyone.
Our courts are free and we will take all the decisions freely". The judge
also snubbed the investigation officer when he said, "Me Lord, the accused
had been engaged in jihad."
"Why
are you bringing jihad in this matter. Jihad is an important part of our
religion. Whatever he [Omar] has done in Afghanistan or anywhere in the world,
this has nothing to do with this case", the judge observed. Asked whether
he had been maltreated or tortured by police, Omar said with a wide smile on his
face "Me Lord, I just say that Karachi police have been better than the
police of other provinces."
"Can
I consider your statement that you have not been tortured?" the judge
asked. "No sir, I didn't say that I haven't been tortured. I just said that
Karachi police have been better than the police of other provinces," he
replied. Meanwhile, the judge granted the physical remand of Omar to police
until February 25.
|
