Pearl murder trial adjourned again

Journalists stage a sit-in outside Karachi jail as the trial commences behind closed doors

KARACHI, Pakistan (CNN) -- The trial against Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, suspected of masterminding the kidnapping and killing of U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl, and three other suspects was adjourned again Friday in Pakistan.

Prosecution attorneys said the judge has given the police more time to arrest seven other suspects in the Pearl case, still at large.

The four suspects made a brief court appearance Friday, as the judge set the trial date for April 22. At that time, charges against the suspects are expected to be formally presented and the suspects are expected to enter pleas.

Defense attorneys for the four men have raised a number of legal objections in the case. The court is hearing a number of petitions by the defense, including one to have the judge removed.

Defense lawyers say the judge is a witness in the case because he was present during an earlier court hearing when Saeed admitted he orchestrated the plot against Pearl. Saeed later recanted that statement.

Another motion by the defense asks for medical treatment for one of the suspects, Salman Saquib, who claims he has been tortured by Pakistani police while in the Karachi jail, according to the defense.

The defense also tried to lodge a contempt of court motion against Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, because of comments he allegedly made that Saeed should be hanged.

The petitions were initially filed last week, which led to the delay in the start of the trial.

Death penalty

Saeed is believed to have orchestrated the kidnapping and killing of Pearl, and is charged with kidnapping for ransom, murder and acts of terrorism. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

The other suspects in police custody are Sheikh Adil and Saquib's brother, Fahad Naseem.

Sheikh Aslam, right, a brother of the accused Sheikh Adil, is stopped by a police officer to enter into Karachi Central Jail

According to the prosecution, the charges are based on evidence in a videotape and circumstantial evidence, including the testimony of a taxi cab driver who dropped Pearl off at a restaurant on Jan. 23. There, the driver says he saw Saeed meet the Wall Street Journal reporter.

On February 21, the U.S. State Department confirmed Pearl was killed, based on a videotape showing his body, which has not yet been found.

Chief prosecutor Raja Qureshi said Friday "the entire case will hinge on circumstantial evidence and expert testimony."

The prosecution expects Pearl's widow, Mariane Pearl, to be called as a witness to testify in the trial.

U.S. officials have said they would like to extradite Saeed from Pakistan to stand trial in the United States, but Pakistani officials say the case must first run its course in their nation.

He has been indicted by a federal grand jury in New Jersey, charged with one count of hostage-taking resulting in Pearl's death and one count of conspiracy to commit hostage-taking resulting in Pearl's death.

-- CNN Correspondent Matthew Chance contributed to this report