Four accused in US reporter’s murder case acquitted

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court has ordered the release of four men accused of the murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002.

Mr Pearl, the Wall Street Journal’s South Asia bureau chief, was kidnapped and beheaded while working on a story about extremist groups in Pakistan.

A British-born alleged militant was originally convicted of masterminding the operation, with three accomplices.

However, Pakistan’s top court has now upheld a ruling acquitting the men.

A lawyer for Mr Pearl’s family said they were in “complete shock”, and the decision was a “travesty of justice”.

Meanwhile, US officials have indicated they will try and launch legal proceedings against the man accused of his murder, Omar Saeed Sheikh, in the US. He denies wrongdoing.

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