Death sentence for Pearl murder

A British-born militant was sentenced to death Monday for the kidnapping and murder of American reporter Daniel Pearl. Three other men were sentenced to life in prison.

British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the man police say masterminded the murder, received the death penalty from Judge Ashraf Ali Shah in a heavily guarded Pakistani courtroom.

Accomplices Fahad Naseem, Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil each received a 25-year prison term.

• FROM MAR 22, 2002: Key suspect charged in Daniel Pearl's murder

The defendants were also ordered to pay close to $32,000 US which will go to Pearl's widow, Mariane, and their son.

In a statement read by his lawyers, a defiant Sheikh Omar said, "We'll see who will die first, me or the authorities who have arranged the death sentence for me."

His lawyers say they will appeal the verdict.

Pearl, 38, was seized in January while working for the Wall Street Journal. He was investigating Islamic extremism in Pakistan, including links to Richard Reid, the "shoe bomber."

• FROM JAN 16, 2002: Shoe bomb suspect indicted on terrorism charges

The group National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. They sent e-mails to media organizations demanding the release of al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters from a U.S. military base in Cuba.

In February, a video of Pearl's murder surfaced. It was shown at the trial, which began in Karachi, but was moved to Hyderabad after prosecutors said they received death threats.

Police are still searching for seven more suspects.

Execution in Pakistan is usually carried out by hanging.