Pakistani judges have ruled the trial of a British-born man and three others accused of the kidnap and murder of a US journalist will take place in jail.
Two high court judges in Karachi dismissed an appeal by Mr Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and his three co-defendants for their trial over the killing of Wall Street Journalreporter Daniel Pearl (38) to be held in open court.
Lawyers for the four had argued a closed trial would violate Pakistani law. The trial is expected to begin tomorrow.
Pakistani officials cited security concerns in their decision to hold the trial in Karachi's Central Jail rather than transfer the men to and from court.
Police and personnel carriers have guarded previous hearings for Mr Saeed, from Wanstead in east London, and his three co-accused. Authorities fear their accomplices would try to free them.
Mr Pearl disappeared on January 23rd while en route to a meeting with Islamic militants in Karachi. His body has not been found, but a videotape received by US diplomats in February confirmed he was dead.
Mr Saeed is accused of masterminding the kidnapping. The other three defendants - Mr Salman Saqib, Mr Fahad Naseem and Mr Sheikh Mohammed Adeel - allegedly sent e-mails to Pakistani and Western news groups announcing Mr Pearl's abduction. Seven other suspects are at large.
A US federal grand jury indicted Mr Saeed last month in the Pearl case. A sealed indictment charging him with kidnapping an American in India in 1994 was also made public.
Pakistani authorities said they would prosecute Mr Saeed first before deciding whether to hand him to the United States.
PA
