Kidnappers of Daniel Pearl Extend Deadline
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The secretary of state, Colin Powell, said the United States cannot meet the demands of the people holding journalist Daniel Pearl nor said Powell can the U.S. negotiate. Pearl disappeared in Pakistan about a week ago yesterday and his kidnappers are threatening to kill him. And now they are threatening open season on all journalists in that country from outside of Pakistan. First to Ben Wedeman in the Pakistani city there of Karachi where Daniel Pearl vanished about eight days ago. Ben, good evening again to you.</s>BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Bill. Yes, that extension has been extended by -- rather, that deadline has been extended by one day. This according to an e-mail received by a local newspaper, the "Jang" newspaper. Now we must underscore here that there is no way of actually verifying that that e-mail came from the same group that is holding Mr. Pearl. But in that e-mail, they said that they will give one more day if America -- to meet those demands, and if America will not meet them, Mr. Pearl will be killed. The e-mail goes on to say that don't think this will be the end. It is the beginning and it is a real war on America. Now, we've heard since yesterday impassioned appeals both from the managing editor of the "Wall Street Journal" and the wife of Mr. Pearl, Marianne. She's a freelance French journalist, six months pregnant. Both of them calling for his immediate release. His wife, Marianne, saying that Daniel is not a spy, neither for the CIA, Massod or anybody else, that he has come here to try to create cultural bridges between the West and the people of Pakistan, to give them a voice so the world can understand how they feel, what they think. And as far as the editor of -- the managing editor of the Washington -- rather the "Wall Street Journal", he says that there will be no purpose served by killing Mr. Pearl and therefore he should be released as soon as possible -- Bill.</s>HEMMER: All right. Ben, thanks. Ben Wedeman again live in Karachi, Pakistan.