Suspect: 'As far as I know, Pearl is dead'

Reporter's wife makes new plea for his release

KARACHI, Pakistan (CNN) -- A key suspect in the kidnapping of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl contradicted himself Thursday, telling a judge, "As far as I know, Pearl is dead."

Bewildered friends and colleagues of the American journalist said they still hold out hope he is alive, and a Pakistani government official cautioned that Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh has made contradictory statements since his capture Tuesday.

Pearl's wife Mariane, who is six months pregnant, made a new plea Thursday for her husband's kidnappers to release him.

"Danny is an innocent man, a journalist who has come to you as a guest with an open mind and the sole objective of writing about your views for a global audience," she said in a statement. "He has never harmed anybody."

"From the bottom of my heart, I appeal to you to please release Danny and enable us to continue carrying out the path we have chosen to pursue," the statement said.

MORE STORIES Kidnapped reporter's wife: 'Please release him'

Saeed Sheikh, described by Pakistani police as the ringleader of the kidnapping, initially told police Pearl was still alive. He also told the Karachi judge Thursday that he was responsible for the reporter's disappearance.

CNN.com Asia More news from our Asia edition

"Right or wrong, I had my reasons," he said. "I think our country should not be catering to America's needs."

Saeed Sheikh, 28, was remanded into police custody until February 25, when he will return to the anti-terrorism court to be formally charged in the kidnapping.

Responding to the British-born Islamic militant's statement, Steven Goldstein, a spokesman for the Wall Street Journal, said the newspaper continues to believe Pearl is still alive.

Aziz Ahmed Khan, a spokesman for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, said that Saeed Sheikh has been changing his statement "day to day."

"We cannot give any credence to any of these statements that he gives," Khan said.

Saeed Sheikh read a statement to the anti-terrorism court Thursday morning, in which he also said he did not want to defend himself against any charges related to Pearl's kidnapping.

The chief prosecutor interpreted his statement as an admission of guilt.

Initially, Saeed Sheikh assured police that Pearl was alive and in Karachi, raising hopes for an imminent end to the abduction. But he has provided little concrete information that could lead to Pearl's release, police said

The chief prosecutor interpreted Saeed Sheikh's statement as an admission of guilt, and he said Saeed Sheikh will remain in police custody as the investigation continues.

Acting on information from Saeed Sheikh, police raided two houses in Karachi Wednesday that turned out to be empty.

The United States has asked for Saeed Sheikh's extradition, but Pakistan says that it must complete its own investigation before considering that option.

"These extradition procedures are covered by the extradition act, but in any case first of all he is being apprehended on the possibility of his involvement in a crime in Pakistan," Khan said. "First of all we have to complete our formalities."

Pearl disappeared January 23 in Karachi while reportedly on his way to interview a Pakistani militant believed to have connections with Richard Reid, the man accused of trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight with explosives hidden in his shoes. Pearl was writing a story for the Wall Street Journal on Reid.

E-mails purported to be between Pearl and Saeed Sheikh -- using a pseudonym -- indicated that Saeed Sheikh had lured Pearl into a trap with vague promises of the interview.