Pakistan: Suspects charged in death of Wall Street Journal writer

The alleged mastermind of the kidnapping of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl and 10 accomplices were charged in his death Friday in a special anti-terrorism court.

Chief prosecutor Raja Quereshi presented the charges amid unprecedented security, with at least 100 armed police ringing the courthouse. Raja also submitted a list of 31 prosecution witnesses to a judge whose courtroom was closed to the public and press.

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and three other Islamic militants are accused in the indictment of murder, kidnapping and terrorism in Pearl’s death. Seven others, who remain at large, also were accused in the prosecutor’s indictment on the same charges.

The court was scheduled to convene again March 29.

Cuba: Detainees in Guantanamo learn of military tribunals

Hundreds of detainees learned Friday for the first time that the U.S. government plans to use military tribunals to determine if they have links to the Taliban or the al-Qaida terrorist network.

Although the government has talked about the tribunals for months, the 300 detainees from 33 countries were never told of the tribunals.

“Those of you who are suspected of crimes will be brought up (before) the military commissions,” Brig. Gen. Michael Lehnert, who is in charge of the commission, told the detainees Friday.

Lehnert said the men would be allowed attorneys should they go before the tribunals. The government has not said where they will take place. Lehnert apologized to the detainees for the lag in giving them the news.

Although U.S. officials have been talking about tribunals for months, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld only disclosed the rules for the military tribunals Thursday.

Virginia: Lawyers: Lindh spoke to FBI to escape prison conditions

An American who fought with the Taliban spoke with the FBI in Afghanistan only to escape horrible prison conditions, his lawyers said Friday.

The assertion by John Walker Lindh’s defense team is the latest challenge to potentially incriminating statements he made during captivity, especially in FBI interviews Dec. 9 and 10.

Lindh’s responses to the FBI formed a major portion of the indictment against him.

Lindh, 21, is charged with conspiring to kill Americans, providing support to terrorists, including Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida, and using firearms during crimes of violence. Three of the 10 charges carry a maximum life sentence and the other seven could bring an additional 90 years in prison.

Lindh was blindfolded and held in a metal container last December, the defense said.

“When his blindfold was removed, he was greeted by an FBI agent who was facing him,” the motion said. “Mr. Lindh believed that the only way to escape the torture of his current circumstance was to do whatever the FBI agent wanted.”