CHICAGO, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Nation of Islam leader, Minister Louis Farrakhan, condemned the killing of kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, saying Muslims cannot allow "our hurt or pain cause us to harm the innocent."
The fiery U.S. Muslim leader had appeared on CNN, which is available around the world, to ask for Pearl's release following his Jan. 23 kidnapping in Karachi.
Farrakhan issued a statement Thursday night expressing "deepest sympathy" to Pearl's family, friends and colleagues. The 38-year-old Jewish reporter's wife, Marianne, is six months pregnant.
Pakistani authorities reportedly turned over a graphic videotape to the U.S. State Department showing the reporter's throat being slit with a knife. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf ordered security forces to arrest "each and every one of the gang of terrorists" involved in Pearl's murder.
"It is incumbent upon Muslims throughout the world to not let our hurt or pain cause us to harm the innocent," Farrakhan said. "We must not allow ourselves to be guided by our emotions, but to be guided by the word of Allah found in the Holy Koran, and by the example of the Prophet Mohammed."
Islamic extremists have threatened to kidnap more Americans in Pakistan. But in a call for brotherhood, Farrakhan said technology like satellite television had brought the world so close together that all people must feel the pain and suffering of others.
"The Muslim World must not let its hatred of America's policies cause Muslims to do harm to American citizens traveling in Muslim countries who are unaware of foreign policy and have no part in its formulation, and more than likely would not want to benefit from these policies if they knew the pain and suffering caused to others that allows our apparent economic gain," Farrakhan said.
