Arrest made in Daniel Pearl murder

Pakistani authorities arrested a militant who they say is connected with the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002.

Tom Wright of The Journal writes, “Mr. Hayyee, a former leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a banned sectarian group, was involved in Mr. Pearl’s death, the statement said. A Pakistani security official said the arrest occurred three or four days ago.

“Investigators are unsure whether Mr. Hayyee played a direct role in Mr. Pearl’s abduction and beheading, but believe he was linked to the crime as a leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi in Sindh province, the official said.

“Pakistan banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi in 2001, but critics say its members have continued to operate freely. This year, about 250 people have been killed in three bomb attacks on the minority Shiite community in the cities of Quetta and Karachi. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for the two blasts in Quetta and are suspected by security officials of involvement in a car bomb outside a mosque in Karachi earlier this month.

“Mr. Pearl’s parents, Ruth and Judea, welcomed the development. ‘We are gratified with this latest arrest and hope that justice will be served on all of those who were involved in this crime against humanity,’ they said in a statement.”

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