Guide Note:
Daniel Pearl was an American journalist kidnapped and murdered in Karachi,
Pakistan. The 2007 film
A Mighty Heart is based on the experiences of Pearl's wife,
Mariane, who was pregnant at the time of Daniel's kidnapping and murder.
Fast Facts
- Born: October 10, 1963
- Birthplace: Princeton, New Jersey
- Education: Stanford University, Class of 1985
- Occupation: Journalist, The Wall Street Journal
- Died: February 1, 2002
- When captured Pearl was investigating the case of Richard Reid, the 'shoe bomber', and alleged links between Al Qaeda and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)
Key Dates
- October 10, 1963: Born in Princeton, New Jersey
- August, 1999: Marries Mariane van Neyenhoff
- January 23, 2002: Daniel Pearl kidnapped
- February 1, 2002: Daniel Pearl murdered in Pakistan
- May, 2002: Adam Daniel Pearl born
Repercussions
Pearl's kidnappers, who identified themselves as The National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty, claimed that they were executing the young journalist because he was both an Israeli spy and a journalist. The grisly method of Pearl's execution—a videotaped beheading posted on the Internet—shocked viewers around the world. The demands of the kidnappers were sent via a Hotmail account, which was subsequently traced back to three individuals. The alleged mastermind of the plot, Omar Sheikh, was convicted of the crime and sentenced to death in July, 2002. As of 2008, Omar Sheikh remains in prison awaiting execution.
