FOUR men accused of the kidnap and murder of US reporter Daniel Pearl were transferred to a new trial venue under heavy security on Thursday following fears of a terrorist attack, officials said.
Witnesses said the men arrived at a jail in the city of Hyderabad, 160 kilometres from Karachi, under guard from
paramilitary troops.
Sindh province’s high court ordered the venue be changed from Karachi prison earlier this week after prosecutors claimed the courtroom and lawyers were under threat.
”The trial will resume on Friday and at least two prosecution witnesses are expected to record their statements,” chief prosecutor Raja Qureshi said.
Defence lawyer Abdul Waheed Katpar said an appeal could be filed to halt the venue change.
”A senior lawyer, Justice S.K. Samdani, is expected to file a petition in the Supreme Court in the next few days,” he said.
Defence lawyers were unlikely to attend the trial on Friday, he said.
”If the defence failed to attend the proceedings, the prosecution will still request the court to record the statement of the witnesses and adjourn the hearing for cross-examination from the defence,” Qureshi said.
The four men, including alleged mastermind British-born Islamic militant Sheikh Omar, face charges of murder, kidnapping and terrorist activities in connection with the murder of Pearl, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal who was abducted on January 23.
All four deny the charges. Seven other suspects have been charged but remain at large. – AFP
