Origins & Early Life

Daniel Pearl (October 10, 1963 – February 1, 2002) was an American journalist who was kidnapped and beheaded by jihadist militants. On January 23, 2002, while on assignment for The Wall Street Journal, Pearl was kidnapped on his way to what he had expected would be an interview with Pakistani Islamic scholar Mubarak Ali Gilani in Karachi, Pakistan. Pearl had entered Pakistan to cover the war on terror, which was launched by the United States in response to the September 11 attacks in 2001. At the time of his abduction, he had been investigating the alleged links between British citizen Richard Reid (a.k.a.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

the "Shoe Bomber") and al-Qaeda; Reid had reportedly completed his training at a facility owned by Gilani, who had been accused by the United States of being affiliated with the Pakistani terrorist organization Jamaat ul-Fuqra. A few days after his disappearance, Pearl's captors released a video in which he is recorded condemning American foreign policy and repeatedly telling the camera that he and his family are Jewish and have visited Israel, following which his throat is slit and his head severed from his body. Before killing Pearl, the captors had issued an ultimatum to the federal...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abd el-Krim — Contemporary (Died in 1963) (1963): Moroccan revolutionary leader who spearheaded the revolt against French and Spanish Protectorates.
• Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke — Contemporary (Died in 1963) (1963): British Field Marshal and Chief of the Imperial General Staff during WWII.
• Aldous Huxley — Contemporary (Died in 1963) (1963): English writer and philosopher known for social satire and mystical explorations.
• Abba Eban — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• Aileen Wuornos — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): American serial killer known for murdering seven male clients in Florida.
• Alan Lomax — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): Pioneering ethnomusicologist known for preserving global folk music traditions.
• Abdul Qadeer Khan — Shared historical date (10-10 · Died) (2021): Pakistani nuclear physicist, known as the 'father of Pakistan's atomic weapons program'
• Abel Tasman — Shared historical date (10-10 · Died) (1659): Dutch explorer famed for charting Tasmania and New Zealand for the VOC.
• A. A. K. Niazi — Shared historical date (02-01 · Died) (2004): Pakistani general who commanded Eastern Command during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
• Albert Günther — Shared historical date (02-01 · Died) (1914): Pioneering zoologist and ichthyologist, renowned for massive contributions to taxonomy.
• 1963 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1963
• October 10 (10-10) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 10
• 2002 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2002
• February 1 (02-01) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on February 1