WASHINGTON, Feb 1: President George Bush on Friday joined media personalities and other governmental leaders in expressing concern over the abduction of Wall Street Journal Reporter Daniel Pearl, who went missing in Karachi eight days ago and is being held somewhere by a group that has threatened to kill him.

Talking to reporters at the Oval Office, Mr Bush said both the US and Pakistan governments were deeply concerned over the journalists’ kidnapping, and were working together on efforts to save Mr Pearl.

The president said a trail of e-mails was being examined for potential leads. Secretary of State Colin Powell has said the US is doing everything it could to rescue the kidnapped journalist.

A deadline given for the execution of Mr Pearl by the persons or group holding him has been extended. E-mails sent to various newspaper establishments by the kidnappers have demanded the release of Pakistanis held in detention by the US in return for Mr Pearl’s freedom.

The e-mails have purportedly come from an organization called the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty.

Mr Pearl is South Asia Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal and was following a story relating to Richard Reeve, the so-called shoe bomber allegedly linked to the Sept 11 attack hijackers and now held in the US, when he was abducted.