FBI joins hunt for WSJ journalist | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

FBI joins hunt for WSJ journalist

KARACHI – Federal Interior Minister, Lt. Gen. (Retd) Moinuddin Haider has said that US journalist, Daniel Pearl is alive. Talking to the newsmen on Monday at Jamai Binnoria a religious institution and Police Office, he said Police have received some significant clues, which would help in recovering the missing journalist.

He said the FBI has also joined the hunt for Daniel Pearl.

‘I am hopeful that the missing US journalist is alive and we will trace him down,’ he said.
‘We have a number of clues on which we are working and I am hopeful that Pearl will safely be recovered from the kidnappers.’

He said that the kidnappers know it very well that by this heinous act there would be no benefit to Muslim Ummah or Pakistan. He hoped that police will make efforts to recover him soon.
He appealed to the kidnappers to release him unconditionally. Daniel is a foreign journalist. He had come to Pakistan for his professional duties and perform his responsibilities. His kidnapping has damaged the creditability of the country, he said.

He said ‘we have received some leads and evidence of the involvement of Indian agency RAW in Daniel’s kidnapping’. Further investigations are being carried out in this regard and only then some conclusion can be reached.

He said that persons found guilty in case of Daniel kidnapping will not be handed over to US but would be tried in the Pakistani courts which are fully equipped to deal with cases of terrorism of this nature. The accused will be punished according to the law of land.
Police has achieved significant clue and hoped that it would lead to breakthrough but he declined to disclose it.

Moin said that police is striving very hard in this regard and for investigation purpose, FBI help has also been sought. “Now FBI is also part of our investigation,” he added. To a question that in wake of police reforms, it was expected from police to show better performance regarding early recovery of Daniel Pearl, he replied that things could take time to solve.

The CPLC chief, Jamil Yusuf said so far nine E-mail messages have been received and four groups are involved. Among them, only two are real kidnappers who issued pictures of Daniel along with message while all others are fake who have been taken into custody except one caller who has said Daniel’s body could be found in cemetery soon be solved.

Source: The Nation
Date:2/5/2002