THE trial of the Wanstead man charged with the kidnapping and murder of American journalist, Daniel Pearl, came to a close yesterday.

It is thought the former Forest School pupil, Ahmad Omar Sheikh, on trial for his for life at a Pakistani court for the past three months, will hear if he is to receive the death sentence on Monday.

The Islamic militant is alleged to have masterminded the kidnap and murder of Mr Pearl, whose gruesome death was filmed and the tape sent to the US consulate in Karachi.

As Sheikh's defence lawyers began summing up the 27-year-old father-of-one released a statement through his lawyers saying America had brought the September 11 terrorist attacks on itself.

He also stated that fresh attacks would come because of US military action in Afganistan and Israel's actions against the Palestinians and described the evidence against him as a "tissue of lies".

July 11, 2002 10:30