Fox News: Pearl Not Killed on Videotape

NewsMax.com ^ | 2/24/02 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

A conflicting version of the chilling murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Danny Pearl emerged Sunday, with Fox News Channel contradicting earlier reports that his execution was videotaped as it happened by kidnappers tied to the al Qaeda terrorist network.

"Contrary to prior reports Pearl is apparently not killed on camera," reported FNC's Rick Leventhal.

"There are several scenes spliced together on the three-and-a-half-minute digital tape. On one of them he is forced to make a statement during which he talks about his Jewish heritage."

Leventhal continued:

"Later there's a shot of a wound, some kind of knife wound in his chest. And later there is a scene of his throat being cut, although people who have seen this tape say it appears that Danny Pearl was already dead at that time."

Leventhal said that prior to his execution, in addition to acknowledging his Jewish heritage, Pearl was forced to say, "America will bear the consequences of our government's unconditional support for Israel."

When pressed for further details about the videotape, Leventhal said:

"We're being told that it was, in fact, edited together. It may have been a crude job. But certainly there is evidence on the tape that Danny Pearl was dead at the time that they cut his throat; that there's clearly a wound to his body.

"At one point on the tape, and later when they inflicted the rest of the damage to his body, there was no sign of life from Danny Pearl. So, apparently he was already dead at that time - but certainly a gruesome tape and one that has outraged authorities."

The FNC reporter did not identify his source for the new version of the Danny Pearl death tape.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Al-Qaeda
War on Terrorism

[DainBramage]

They would know for sure from the blood pressure during the beheading.

[nmh]

I'm thoroughly confused. I've also read there are TWO tapes and one has Daniel speaking when a hand reaches across and does his throat. It's not that I like gore, I just want the truth. I think it should be know what Daniel Pearl had to endure to paint the proper picture of these evil people.

[veronica]

From another story on this:: My father is a Jew, my mother is a Jew, and I am a Jew.” In the last moments of Danny Pearl’s life, his kidnappers forced him again and again to denounce his family, his country and his religion, and to warn the world that he would not be the last to suffer if the United States did not change its ways. A video camera trained on his unshaven, sleepless face, Pearl mumbled the terrorists’ script. “Americans can’t walk around free as long as our government’s policies continue,” he said. “America will bear the consequences of our government’s unconditional support for Israel.” Photographs of weeping Arab women, the supposed victims of American and Israeli aggression against Palestinians, periodically flashed on a screen as he spoke. SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH THE contents of the vicious home movie, obtained by the FBI on Friday, say Pearl’s throat is then suddenly slit with a knife. A hand is shown holding his severed head. The tape cuts to his captors repeatedly stabbing his lifeless body. Pearl’s head is then shown lying on a pile of newspapers as a message scrolls in the foreground: “If our demands aren’t met, there will be more scenes like this.”

[chachacha]

What kind of people would carry a dead body around with them then later decide to cut the dead body's throat for impact. Any suggestions?

[mgc1122]

What kind of people would carry a dead body around with them then later decide to cut the dead body's throat for impact. Any suggestions?

"Peaceful" Muslims ...

[NEPA]

What kind of people would carry a dead body around with them then later decide to cut the dead body's throat for impact. Any suggestions?

Exactly what I've been thinking. It doesn't make sense. For some reason the media, maybe at the urging of the gov't or even thru Pakistani disinformation, want to minimize the gruesome nature of Danny Pearl's death.

[LadyDoc]

What kind of people would carry a dead body around with them then later decide to cut the dead body's throat for impact. Any suggestions?

For terror propaganda.

About 15 years ago, a Marine Colonel (?Higgins?) was captured in Israel or near Israel, and three months later they showed his body hanging on a gibbet claiming they "executed" him.

The CIA claimed he had died months before. I was confused until an Israeli friend pointed out that A) He was wearing a heavy top coat, meaning that he died in January, about the time he was captured, and B) the body hung straight, without a broken neck or signs of strangulation.

Apparantly the Guy was CIA, and killed himself on capture, so they "faked" an execution for their more naive followers.

[Eternal_Bear]

Expel all Pakis immediately! All American citizens should return immediately from Pakistan. No need to interact with savages.

[undergroundwarrior]

Followers of Mohammad, the great messenger of Satan.

[Rudder]

Apparently Pearl was dead before they killed him. We can all go quietly home now, knowing that he didn't suffer.

[healey22]

Though gruesome it is, this tape needs to be released for the American people to see. We do not need the media or government censoring news.

[cactmh]

Either way the filthy animals killed him and I would gladly kill every single one of them myself.

[cactmh]

Islam - The Religion of Peace^TM

[jwfiv]

The Colonel was tortured, slowly, to death...hung on a meathook...the bad guys who did this took video of it, which we somehow go ahold of, so we knew he was not so respectfully executed. President Reagan viewed the torture tape.

Betcha the bad guys were enjoying the torture of Daniel Pearle, like a game to them, or an orgy.

May they fry in Hell for all eternity.

[RAT Patrol]

Liberal Media Motto: Report FIRST - ask questions later

[varon]

Apparently Pearl was dead before they killed him.

Huh...?

[Rudder]

Just a little sarcastic commentary concerning the main point of this article. That is, if we could all be led to believe that Pearl was dead before his throat was slit on camera, then there would be a reduced tendency to regard the video as ghastly.

[StriperSniper]

For some reason the media, maybe at the urging of the gov't

Now after all the good little media soldiers have all (like Juan Williams on Fox News Sunday) said they don't want to see it, there is "nothing to see".

/tinfoil

[AlGone2001]

Though gruesome it is, this tape needs to be released for the American people to see. We do not need the media or government censoring news.

Perhaps you are correct, but there needs to be at least an adequate warning to remove the children from the room. I don't need to see it to believe it, and I don't need my 5-year old or 2-year old to see it.

That's not censorship, is it?