U.S. Taliban fighter' s attorneys argue for his release

SUMMARY:

Attorneys for John Walker Lindh, the American captured while fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan, filed a motion Tuesday asking that he be released pending trial.

The motion says, in part, that Walker Lindh is "entitled to pretrial release unless the government can show by clear and convincing evidence that he is a danger to the community or by a preponderance of evidence that he is a flight risk."

Walker Lindh faces a detention hearing Wednesday in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. He has been detained at the Alexandria Detention Center since his January 23 return to the United States.

Meanwhile, the wife of a Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped in Pakistan is offering to exchange herself for the release of her husband.

"Don't harm an innocent man because you're just going to create one more misery,'' said Marianne Pearl, addressing Daniel Pearl's kidnappers in a television interview Monday. "If anyone's going to give his life to save him, it's me. Please make contact with me -- I'm ready."

Marianne Pearl is six months pregnant with the couple's first child.

•  Summary   •  Update   •  Key questions   •  Who's who  CNN.COM SPECIAL REPORT  CNN NewsPass Video  Agencies reportedly got hijack tips in 1998  MORE STORIES Intelligence intercept led to Buffalo suspects Report cites warnings before 9/11  EXTRA INFORMATION Timeline: Who Knew What and When? Interactive: Terror Investigation Terror Warnings System Most wanted terrorists What looks suspicious? In-Depth: America Remembers In-Depth: Terror on Tape In-Depth: How prepared is your city?  RESOURCES On the Scene: Barbara Starr: Al Qaeda hunt expands? On the Scene: Peter Bergen: Getting al Qaeda to talk

UPDATE:

Walker Lindh faces charges of engaging in a conspiracy to kill Americans overseas, providing material support to terrorist organizations and contributing goods and services to the Taliban. The charges were read during his first court appearance January 24. (Full story)

The managing editor of The Wall Street Journal also made a new appeal to Pearl's kidnappers Monday, asking them to communicate "more privately and more often" so that Pearl's safe release can be arranged. News organizations have not received correspondence from the kidnappers in nearly a week. (Full story)

Iran asked Tuesday for U.S. help to keep al Qaeda fighters out of the country, while continuing to refute comments by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that it had helped al Qaeda and Taliban fighters flee Afghanistan.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday it is up to Iraq to prove it is not producing weapons of mass destruction. Powell said U.N. weapons inspectors must go back into Iraq "on our terms." (Full story)

KEY QUESTIONS:

Should John Walker Lindh be released on bail?

Should the United States negotiate for Pearl's release?

WHO'S WHO:

John Walker Lindh: A Californian, 20, who was captured while fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan. He faces charges on four criminal counts, including engaging in a conspiracy to kill Americans overseas.

Colin Powell: U.S. secretary of state

Daniel Pearl: A 38-year-old journalist for The Wall Street Journal who was abducted January 23 in Karachi. A group calling itself the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty claims to be holding him and is threatening to kill him unless the United States meets its demands to release Pakistanis captured in the U.S. war on terror.

Donald Rumsfeld: U.S. Secretary of Defense.

George W. Bush: President of the United States.