Hyderabad, July 15: Defence lawyer for the
British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, sentenced to death for
abducting and murdering US journalist Daniel Pearl, says the
verdict in the case was under influence.
"The trial was fair but the verdict was under influence," Rai Bashir told journalists after the verdict by an anti-terrorism court here today. He did not say who influenced
the trial.
Bashir said he would file appeal against the verdict.
He said the convicts were composed and there was no
emotion after they heard the judgment inside Hyderabad Central Jail.
Execution in Pakistan is usually by hanging, but Omar Sheikh has the right of appeal to two higher courts before the sentence could be carried out.
The three-month long trial was held in a temporary court
room in the grim, high-walled jail in Hyderabad.
Bureau Report
