The US State Department today reiterated its call for the "immediate and unconditional release" of Mr Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter abducted in Pakistan.
"We hope for Mr Pearl's immediate and unconditional release," State Department spokesman Mr Frederick Jones said.
Mr Pearl (38) disappeared in Karachi 10 days ago after heading off to meet the leader of an obscure Islamic militant organization.
His fate remained unclear today, as Pakistani police ruled out the possibility of his being executed and as his captors sent a cryptic message which suggested he had not been killed.
A group claiming to hold Mr Pearl had threatened to kill him unless the United States freed Pakistani prisoners held at its naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and improved the treatment of others in detention there. They set yesterday as a deadline for its demands.
US news organisations said they received an e-mail yesterday, after the execution deadline set by the kidnappers, claiming the Wall Street Journal correspondent had been killed and his body had been dumped in a graveyard.
Pakistani police searched graveyards overnight for the kidnapped US journalist without success.
Police said they were also following leads from a telephone call which demanded two million dollars for Pearl's release.
The Wall Street Journal today said it believes that Mr Pearl is still alive, and pleaded for a resumption of dialogue leading to his release.
AFP