The Daniel Pearl murder mystery deepens

Posted By Carolyn O'Hara Wednesday, June 6, 2007 - 12:10 PM Share

Yesterday, Pakistan announced that it had arrested two men as they were traveling toward Baluchistan province with a cache of weapons and explosives. Just another day in the world's largest failed state, right? Well, what's interesting about these particular individuals is that they are suspected of involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002. But there's a small, confusing wrinkle: A lawyer for the men says the men have actually been held by Pakistani security agencies since 2003. Their families had previously gone so far as to file complaints with the High Court in Karachi inquiring about their disappearance.

AFP

When FP spoke with Mariane Pearl, Daniel's widow, last week, she was emphatic about the fact that—despite a death sentence for Omar Sheikh in Pakistan and the apparent confession of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed—the investigation into Daniel's murder continues. And in fact, Georgetown will host a seminar this fall for journalism students to continue the investigation. The class will be led in part by Asra Nomani, the Pearls' journalist friend with whom they were staying with in Karachi when Daniel was kidnapped. Nomani also played a pivotal role in the investigation, as recounted in Mariane's excellent memoir, A Mighty Heart.

I caught the super-cynical side of me thinking for a split second that the news of the arrests was good publicity for the opening of the movie version of A Mighty Heart in a few weeks. But then, as Mariane's memoir shows so vividly, things just work a little differently in Pakistan. If it's true that these guys have been held for a few years and are just now being officially arrested, it's really not that surprising. On the other hand, there's no telling if their lawyer is being honest. I'm just pleased that Mariane, who has been so incredibly compassionate and brave for the past five years, may soon get more of the justice that she and her son so greatly deserve.

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