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Updated April 3rd, 2021 at 17:50 IST

Antony Blinken speaks with Daniel Pearl's family, expresses determination to seek justice

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken talked with family members of American journalist Daniel Pearl and ensured them that govt is determined to seek justice.

Reported by: Aanchal Nigam
Antony Blinken
Image cedits: AP | Image:self
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The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken talked with the family members of American journalist Daniel Pearl on April 2 to ensure them that the government is determined to seek justice for those involved in his kidnapping and murder, said US State Department’s spokesperson Ned Price in a statement on Friday. Journalist of the The Wall Street Journal had disappeared on January 23, 2002, in Karachi while researching links of Pakistani militants with Richard C. Reid who was called “shoe-bomber” after being detained with explosives on a flight from Paris to Miami. 

However, Pearl was then abducted and beheaded in a filmed incident and sent the footage to American officials. The Daniel Pearl case was among the first propaganda videos that targetted hostages and were created by extremists in order to reportedly inspire other terror groups. In January this year, Pakistan’s Supreme Court upheld the acquittal and even ordered the release of the Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh convicted of orchestrating the 2002 beheading of Pearl.

“Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with members of the family of Daniel Pearl and their representatives today to assure them that the U.S. government remains committed to pursuing justice and accountability for those involved in Daniel’s kidnapping and murder, Ned Price said in a statement.

US 'outraged' over Pakistan court's decision

The United States said on January 28 it was “outraged” after Pakistan’s Supre Court upheld the acquittal and even ordered the release of the militant convicted of orchestrating the 2002 beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl. 

In a press briefing, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that US President Joe Biden’s administration is “outraged by the Pakistani Supreme Court's decision”, underscoring the rugged alliance between US and Pakistan. She also termed the Islamabad court ruling “an affront to terrorism victims everywhere” and demanded Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government to “review its legal options”.

The Pearl family had expressed “complete shock” over the ruling and the release of Sheikh along with other accused persons who “kidnapped and killed” Daniel Pearl, in a statement released by their lawyer, Faisal Siddiqi. Even the autopsy report of Pearl revealed the gruesome details of the Wall Street Journal reporter’s killing and dismemberment. Sheikh was reportedly convicted of helping lure Pearl to meet in the port city of Karachi when he was kidnapped.

Image cedits: AP

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Published April 3rd, 2021 at 17:49 IST

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