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Pakistan's Top Court Orders Alleged Daniel Pearl Killer Moved from Prison

Reuters

   ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Supreme Courtordered the release from prison on
   Tuesday of Ahmad Omar SaeedSheikh, a ringleader in the kidnapping and
   murder of U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl by al Qaeda and Pakistani
   Islamistmilitants in 2002.

   Pakistan's government had appealed to the court on Friday toreview its
   decision to free the British-born Islamist andthreeothers convicted in
   the case, a day after their acquittal by apanel of three judges.

   The United States also expressed concern overSheikh'sacquittal, and top
   U.S. diplomat AntonyBlinkenrepeated acallfor accountability in his
   first phone call with Pakistan'sforeign minister on Friday.

   The review panel, headed by Justice Omar AtaBandyal, stoodby the
   decision to acquit, and recommended that Sheikh shouldbemoved to a
   "rest house" before being fully released.

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