Defence lawyers confident in Pearl trial

Lawyers for the Briton accused of the kidnap and murder of reporter Daniel Pearl said today that evidence their client was detained illegally will likely win his acquittal.

The defence optimism came after the Pakistan court heard evidence that appeared to bolster their contention that former public schoolboy Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh was held illegally for a week before police announced his arrest.

’’You will see he will be acquitted in this case,’’ said Abdul Waheed Katpar, a lawyer for Saeed, accused of masterminding Wall Street Journal reporter Pearl’s kidnapping in Karachi on January 23.

Saeed’s father, Ahmed Saeed Sheikh, told the court he was with his son when he surrendered on

February 5. Police have told the court that Saeed was only arrested on February 13.

In a brief statement to court on June 21, Saeed, from Wanstead, east London, said authorities illegally detained him and tortured two of his fellow defendants in order to convict him of the crime which he insists he did not commit.

Under Pakistani law, suspects must be presented in court within 24 hours of their detention.

Saeed, a London School of Economics dropout, said he was illegally held in order to give police time to fabricate a case against him.

The evidence could also boost the case of the three men on trial accused of being Saeed’s accomplices.

However, chief prosecutor Raja Qureshi said the evidence is insufficient to acquit Saeed.

Journalists are not allowed into the Hyderabad courtroom but defence and prosecution teams regularly brief them.

Diplomatic sources said Saeed was in custody of Pakistani intelligence for several days before the announcement of his arrest.

The sources speculated that agents were urging him to lead them to Pearl.