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US 'Stands Ready' to Try Militant Behind Daniel Pearl Murder

Agence France-Presse

   WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney General said Tuesday the United States
   "stands ready" to try a militant convicted of murdering American
   journalist Daniel Pearl whose release was ordered by a Pakistani court.

   The decision by Sindh High Court to release the accused comes months
   after it sparked outrage for overturning the murder conviction and
   death sentence of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, and acquitted three other
   men connected to the case.

   The four are being held under the emergency orders of the local
   government while an ongoing appeal against their acquittals is heard in
   the Supreme Court, but defense lawyers argued against their continued
   detention in the south of the country.

   "We remain grateful for the Pakistani government's actions to appeal
   such rulings to ensure that (Sheikh) and his co-defendants are held
   accountable," acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen said in a
   statement, calling the acquittals "an affront to terrorism victims
   everywhere."

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