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Walker Lindh pleads not guilty

Artist's sketch of John Walker Lindh at February 6 appearance in federal court.

SUMMARY:

John Walker Lindh, the American captured with Taliban fighters in northern Afghanistan last year, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday.

The judge told prosecutors and defense attorneys to return to court Friday for a hearing to set a trial date, after rejecting a request from both sides to delay the start of Walker Lindh's trial until mid-November.

Walker Lindh faces 10 counts, including engaging in a conspiracy to kill Americans overseas. He could face life in prison if convicted. (Full story)

In other developments, Pakistani police were interrogating the man believed to be responsible for the kidnapping of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, and eight U.S. airmen were injured when their plane crashed Wednesday in a remote section of eastern Afghanistan.

UPDATE:

•  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

Police in Karachi, Pakistan, described the kidnapping suspect, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, as "a hard nut to crack." The British-born Islamic militant was arrested Tuesday and told police that Pearl is still alive and in Karachi, where he disappeared January 23. (Full story)

U.S. Central Command said officials were investigating the Air Force MC-130P crash, but it did not appear hostile fire was involved. The crew members' injuries were not life-threatening, officials said. (Full story)

U.S. troops fired machine guns and scrambled Apache helicopters Wednesday after a group of attackers opened fire with small arms on the Kandahar Airport. The U.S. Central Command said seven people were captured at the western perimeter of the airport. Three others sped away in a vehicle. (Full story)

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani received an honorary knighthood from Britain's Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday, for his work following the September 11 terrorist attacks. (Full story)

Attorney General John Ashcroft on Tuesday called on "all Americans to be on the highest state of alert" after the FBI warning issued Monday night. It urged authorities to be on the lookout for two men -- from either Yemen or Saudi Arabia -- and about a dozen associates who may be planning an attack on U.S. interests in the United States or Yemen. (Full story)

An Algerian man held in a British jail for five months was granted bail in London on Tuesday after U.S. authorities said they would not seek to extradite him on terrorism charges. Prosecutors have linked Lotfi Raissi to Hani Hanjour, the suspected pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, which flew into the Pentagon, but U.S. authorities have not presented any evidence linking Raissi directly to the events of September 11. (Full story)

The White House said Tuesday that "no military action is imminent" against Iraq and that President Bush has not decided to use U.S. military force against any country he listed as a member of the "axis of evil" in his State of the Union address. (Full story)

A U.S. Army soldier was killed Wednesday in an accident at Bagram air base in Afghanistan, Pentagon officials said. The officials said a piece of heavy machinery fell on top of the soldier, and he died in surgery shortly thereafter.

KEY QUESTION:

Should the U.S. negotiate for Pearl's release?

WHO'S WHO:

John Walker Lindh: A 21-year-old Californian, captured with Taliban fighters after a prison uprising in northern Afghanistan last year. Faces 10 charges, including conspiracy to kill Americans overseas and providing material support to terrorists.

Daniel Pearl: A 38-year-old reporter for The Wall Street Journal who was abducted January 23 in Karachi, Pakistan. A group calling itself the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty claims it is 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.

Rudy Giuliani: Former mayor of New York, praised for his leadership following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

John Ashcroft: U.S. attorney general

George W. Bush: U.S. president