Who Was Daniel Pearl? Why India’s Operation Sindoor Is Being Seen As Justice for Slain WSJ Journalist

Delhi, May 9: In a powerful counterterrorism offensive, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation came in direct retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that claimed 26 innocent lives. Among the nine targeted locations, a major hit in Bahawalpur, a known hub of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), has stirred global attention. This same city has chilling ties to the brutal 2002 murder of Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Daniel Pearl, whose death became a symbol of terrorist brutality. India’s precision strike reportedly neutralised key figures involved in both past and present terror operations.

In a press briefing on May 9, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri acknowledged the connections between JeM and the 2002 killing of Daniel Pearl. He explained how Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the British-Pakistani jihadi responsible for orchestrating Pearl’s kidnapping, was part of a larger network that had been operating with impunity. Misri confirmed that Operation Sindoor targeted these very terror sanctuaries that had been breeding violence for years. In light of these events, let’s know who Daniel Pearl was and understand why Operation Sindoor is being hailed as long-awaited justice. Operation Sindoor: S-400 Triumph Missile Systems, Barak-8 and Akash Missiles Were Used to Thwart Pakistani Offensive, Say Sources.

India Confirms Link Between Jaish-e-Mohammed and Daniel Pearl’s Murder

Watch: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, “…Jaish-e-Mohammed was in some way directly or indirectly responsible for the death of Daniel Pearl. But the real connection is through Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the British Pakistani jihadi who was held in India but was finally… pic.twitter.com/J4cVBEnWPZ

— IANS (@ians_india) May 9, 2025

Who Was Daniel Pearl?

Daniel Pearl was a distinguished Jewish-American journalist and the South Asia Bureau Chief for The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Born in Princeton, New Jersey, he graduated from Stanford University in 1985 and went on to build a successful career, reporting from various international locations, including London, Paris, and Washington, DC. By the time of his tragic death, Pearl had established himself as an expert in covering South Asian affairs, focusing particularly on the dynamics of terrorism and its impact on the region. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, Pearl moved to Karachi, Pakistan, to investigate the links between Pakistani terror groups and their funding sources. Operation Sindoor Still Ongoing, Over 100 Terrorists Killed So Far in Strikes on Terror Camps in Pakistan: Report.

Pearl was investigating connections between Pakistani terrorist groups and the country’s intelligence agencies when he was abducted in January 2002. On January 23, 2002, while in Karachi to interview a Pakistani cleric, Daniel Pearl was kidnapped by a group calling itself the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty. His captors demanded the release of Pakistani militants imprisoned in India, accusing Pearl of being an Israeli spy. Nine days after his kidnapping, Daniel Pearl was brutally murdered by his captors, who released a chilling video showing his beheading to the world.

His half-decomposed body, dismembered into 10 pieces, was found three months later in a shallow grave in Karachi. His death, as also confirmed today by India, was orchestrated by Omar Saeed Sheikh, the British-Pakistani terrorist who had been involved in previous terror activities and was released from Indian custody after the 1999 IC-814 hijacking. Nearly 23 years after his brutal killing, Operation Sindoor has struck at the roots of the very terror networks responsible for Daniel Pearl’s death. By targeting key camps in Bahawalpur, including those linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, India delivered long-overdue justice.

(The above story first appeared on Fresh Headline on May 09, 2025 07:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website freshheadline.com).