U.S. Taliban fighter denied bail

SUMMARY:

John Walker Lindh, the 20-year-old Californian captured while fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan last year, was denied bail Wednesday by a federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia.

U.S. Magistrate Curtis Sewell said evidence presented by the government suggested Walker Lindh was a flight risk and a danger to the community. He ordered Walker Lindh held until his trial on a 10-count indictment which includes engaging in a conspiracy to kill Americans.

Walker Lindh's lawyers had argued he was "loyal to the United States and to his family," and had never fought for Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist organization.

Meanwhile, in other developments, police in Pakistan said they were closing in on the kidnappers of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, 38.

In Afghanistan, U.S. forces have released all 27 detainees captured January 24 in a special operations raid north of Kandahar. And CIA Director George Tenet warned Wednesday at a Senate intelligence committee hearing that "multiple attack plans are in the works" against the United States.

•  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's next scheduled court appearance is Monday, when he will be arraigned. A federal grand jury in Virginia indicted him Tuesday. (Full story)

Sources in Pakistan said police Tuesday arrested three men, who are linked to a computer from which e-mails, including photographs of Pearl, were sent. Officials said information from those brought in for questioning have led them to suspect that Sheikh Omar Saeed, a Pakistani militant, may be behind the kidnapping. (Full story)

U.S. military sources said that after questioning the detainees captured in January's Afghanistan raid, authorities concluded none were members of the Taliban or al Qaeda. A CIA spokesman said Wednesday that cash from the agency is being used to pay the families of those killed and captured in the raid. (Full story)

Tenet, testifying before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said threats remain despite the arrests of almost 1,000 al Qaeda operatives in more than 60 countries. Responding to criticism that his agency failed to avert the September 11 attacks, he said the CIA never had any information about attacks inside the United States. (Full story)

The Philippines' Supreme Court has given the country's government 10 days to answer a petition by two lawyers questioning President Gloria Arroyo's decision to allow U.S. troops into the country. The troops arrived last month to help local soldiers fight the Abu Sayyaf rebel group, which has been linked to al Qaeda. The two lawyers argue that the U.S. presence violates a Philippine constitutional provision barring foreign combat troops from the country except under formal treaty. (Full story)

KEY QUESTIONS:

Should the United States negotiate for Pearl's release?

WHO'S WHO:

John Walker Lindh: A 20-year-old Californian who was captured while fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan last year. He faces a 10-count indictment, including engaging in a conspiracy to kill Americans overseas.

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.