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U.S. Files Charges Against Pearl Murder Suspect
Thursday, March 14, 2002
The Associated Press

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh.
Image Credit: The Associated Press.

"Where freedom is feared, men and women like Daniel Pearl will always be hunted, but where freedom is cherished they will be forever defended."

WASHINGTON -- AP
A federal grand jury indicted a Muslim extremist Thursday in the kidnapping and murder of American reporter Daniel Pearl. The charges carry the death penalty.

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who is in custody in Pakistan, was charged with hostage-taking and conspiracy to commit hostage-taking, resulting in the death of the Wall Street Journal reporter.

Saeed "methodically set a death trap for Daniel Pearl, lured him into it with lies and savagely ended his life," Attorney General John Ashcroft said in announcing the indictment returned in New Jersey.

Authorities also unsealed an indictment that had secretly charged Saeed last year in a 1994 kidnapping of an American in India.

Daniel Pearl.
Image Credit: The Associated Press.

Pearl was kidnapped in January while pursuing a story in Pakistan related to Islamic fundamentalism. A gruesome videotape made by his captors surfaced after his death.

Pearl left behind a widow who is about to give birth to their first child.
(More: Fox News Source)
2002 © The Associated Press.

Dan