A British-born Islamic radical accused of planning the kidnapping of murdered US reporter Mr Daniel Pearl had his police detention extended by 14 days today.
|
|
Pakistani police escort Sheikh Omar from a police station to the high court in Karachi.
|
A government spokesman said the order was issued during a brief appearance before an anti-terrorism court in Karachi by Mr Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and two other men linked to the kidnapping.
The two other men, whose detentions also were extended, were Mr Sheikh Abil and Mr Salman Saquib. They are accused of sending e-mails linked to the kidnapping.
With white cloth hoods over their heads, the three accused were hustled in and out of the Sindh High Court building past crowds of reporters and TV crews.
Mr Sheikh Omar (28), arrested on February 12th, was in custody when authorities received a videotape last Thursday showing Mr Pearl's throat being cut on camera. His detention period was due to run out tomorrow.
Mr Pearl, the Wall Street Journal's South Asian bureau chief, disappeared on January 23rd in Karachi while working on a story about Islamic radicals in Pakistan and their links with bin Laden, chief suspect in the September 11th attacks in the United States.
A nationwide manhunt in Pakistan is under way for at least four people suspected of murdering Mr Pearl.
A group calling itself the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty claimed responsibility for Mr Pearl's kidnapping and accused him of being a spy - first for the CIA, then for Israeli intelligence.