Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of the Pakistani British terrorist convicted of beheading U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl, a decision that has left his family in “complete shock”, lawyers said.
Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who was the main suspect in the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Pearl, was released by a panel of three judges.
“By a majority of two to one, they have acquitted all the accused persons and ordered their release,” a provincial advocate general, Salman Talibuddin, told Reuters.
It was not immediately clear whether “acquittal” meant a finding of not guilty, or that they had merely finished their jail terms.
Sheikh has served 18 years in jail and a life sentence is usually a maximum 14 years.
Pearl, 38, was investigating Islamist militants in Karachi after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States when he was kidnapped.
His case grabbed headlines globally after a video of his beheading emerged weeks after he was abducted.
Sheikh and three co-accused are to be released if they are not required in any other cases, the head of the court panel, Justice Mushir Alam, said.
The process to release them can take several days.
A high court last year commuted the death penalty of the British-born Sheikh into a life sentence and acquitted his three co-accused, citing lack of evidence. The acquittals were challenged.
The government and Pearl’s parents challenged the court decision and pleaded to the Supreme Court to reinstate the death penalty.
The Supreme Court turned down both pleas on Thursday.
The United States had said that it may seek to retry Sheikh if efforts to keep him in prison failed.
“The Pearl family is in complete shock by the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” the family’s lawyer, Faisal Siddiqi, told Reuters, adding that the court decision was a travesty of justice.
“No amount of injustice will defeat our resolve to fight for justice for Daniel Pearl.”
They should seek the death penalty. Extradition to the U.S. would be essential. We must stop this type of Terroism throughout the World. It’s unacceptable indeed.
Who was so stupid that they sent a JEWISH reporter to a Muslim country known for it’s hatred of the ASHKENAZI “JEWS”? The victim’s family should sue the newspaper for millions!
I don’t see any justice here he deserves the Death Penalty………
Totally disgusting. How can this so called human being get away with brutally killing someone.😡😢😡😢😡😢
What can you expect from them???? They’re uncivilied. And now, with Biden’s blessing, more of these murderous scum can come to our country. Good job, democrats!!!!
Is not Pakistan a country that receives a considerable amount of aid from the US – let’s decrease it until Daniel Pearl’ s family gets justice
Justice not served!
Have the drones ready and to hell with what the Pakistanis think!
Oh hell we have Biden, we and his cohorts in crime will bring him here and give him a ticker tape parade through NYC!!!
Of course they will give him everything he could ever want.. in return just vote Democrat!!
I feel bad for his family. They who freed a prisoner will pay now or in the future.
The blame rests on the shoulders of the reporters employers. They knew he was an Ashkenazi Jew when they sent him to a Muslim country filled with hatred of the Jews!
Should be hung or guillotined now that he served some time.
Like the old saying kill them all let God sort them out those people over there are just not human at all not human at all
It is not surprising that happened it Pakistan. It seems to be a totally inhumane state. Right to life and liberty is not a concept they accept…except for some males!
Odd, usually I would condemn beheading anyone, but in the case of most US “journalists” perhaps an exception could be made.
I well remember the newspaper sending this JEWISH REPORTER TO A COUNTRY WHERE HE IS HATED!! HIS FAMILY SHOULD HAVE SUED THE PAPER .
Discusting but a big surprise? NO! They, the Pakistanis are spitting in our faces.
Biden and Congress should immediately cut off all funding to Pakistan, BUT, we all know
they will do nothing.
Drone strike, new targets!
How unfair for the family of Daniel pearl !! We the U.S. give Pakistan millions of dollars and they spit in our face !! Not another cent for them
Outrageous!!!
There’s a old saying in my book . And eye for an eye , tooth for a tooth . In other words , you kill , you die , period ….
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Journalist Daniel Pearl Goes Free – Survival Update is kinda boring.
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