Pearl trial hears suspect's father

The father of the main defendant accused of the kidnap and murder of an American journalist, Daniel Pearl, has appeared as a witness before a court in Pakistan.

In his testimony, Saeed Sheikh rejected the government's account of the arrest of his son, Omar.

He said he handed Omar to the Pakistani police in Lahore, a week before his arrest was announced by the authorities.

Omar Sheikh's lawyers say he was detained illegally and that this is likely to win his acquittal.

Omar Sheikh has described the charges against him as a tissue of lies.

His father told the court that he didn't know about any activities which had linked him with terrorism in Bosnia, Afghanistan and India. Daniel Pearl, who worked for the Wall Street Journal, disappeared in January whilst working on a story about Islamic militants.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service