By: E&P Staff and Wire Service Reports One day after a new video of the kidnapped American reporter surfaced, her abductors today said they will carry out a threat to kill her unless their demands are met by a Feb. 26 deadline, Kuwait's Al Rai TV reported, citing sources close to her captors.
In response to questions, Al Rai chairman Jassem Boodai declined to specify the kidnappers' demands. In previous videos, Carroll has said her captors are demanding that all female prisoners in Iraq be freed.
"The demands are specific. We have passed them on to the authorities," Boodai said.
The television station said sources reported Carroll, who freelanced mainly for the Christian Science Monitor, was being held in a house in Baghdad along with other women.
"Like you, we have heard this report (of the deadline) but we do not know what it is based on. That is all we are saying," David Cook, Washington bureau chief for the Monitor, told E&P this afternoon.
Boudai said Al-Rai had received a message from "sources close to the kidnappers." He said the message was not conveyed in a videotape, but "another method." He declined to how it was received and whether the message was delivered to Al-Rai's head office in Kuwait or its bureau in Baghdad--where Thursday's video of Carroll was received.
"Sources close to the kidnappers informed Al-Rai TV that the kidnappers have set a Feb. 26 deadline for their demands to be met or they will execute her according to Shariah," he said, referring to Islamic law.
He said the kidnappers have "more specific demands than releasing all women from jail," but he refused to disclose these demands.
He said the sources told Al-Rai that Carroll was in good psychological condition and was doing housework with the other women in the place where she was being held.
According to the sources, the kidnappers denied they killed Carroll's translator when the abducted her at gunpoint, as has previously been reported.
Late last month, the U.S. military freed five Iraqi women detainees, but American officials insisted the release was not linked to the demand by Carroll's abductors.
The U.S. military was believed be holding about six more. It was unclear how many women were held by Iraqi authorities.
Al Rai TV aired a new videotape of Carroll on Thursday. She was abducted in Baghdad on January 7 by militants who also killed her Iraqi interpreter.
In the video aired on Thursday by Al Rai, Carroll, 28, said, "I'm here with the mujahideen. I sent you a letter written by hand. I'm here, I'm fine. Please just do whatever they want," she said. "Give them whatever they want as quickly as possible. There is very short time. Please move fast."
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here