Daniel Pearl (Wall St. Journal photo)

 The chief prosecutor in the case, Raja Qureshi says formal charges were filed with an anti-terrorism court in the southern city of Karachi. The four defendants include the accused leader of the kidnapping plot, Ahmed Seed Omar Sheikh, also known as Sheikh Omar.

 The four suspects appeared in court for Friday's pre-trial hearing, surrounded by extremely tight security. Seven other people named as co-conspirators in the case remain at large. 

The court is set to convene again on March 29, when the judge will decide whether there is enough evidence to order a trial.

 The United States is seeking extradition of Sheikh Omar, a British-born Islamic militant, who has also been indicted by a U.S. court. Pakistan says it will consider the request after completing its judicial process.

 U.S. federal agents have been helping Pakistani investigators since Daniel Pearl disappeared in Karachi on January 23. Mr. Pearl has been the South Asia bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal newspaper. His death was confirmed last month, after his kidnappers released a videotape showing his brutal murder, but his body has not been found.
 
 

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. 

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