By: E&P Staff Reuters' reporter Alastair Macdonald added a few details to accounts of exactly what happened immediately after journalist Jill Carroll gained her release in Baghdad day.
"It was just after midday in Baghdad on Thursday when American journalist Jill Carroll walked into an office of a political party in a violent part of town, clutching a letter in Arabic asking for help," he writes.
"Swathed in an Islamic headscarf and visibly well after three months as a hostage, the 28-year-old reporter was whisked inside by astonished staff of the Iraqi Islamic Party, before media colleagues and U.S. officials were called to come and fetch her. The account of her appearance came from the party's leader.
"Iraqi and U.S. officials denied any negotiations took place to secure her release, a week after three Western Christian peace activists were rescued by special forces the city. The U.S. ambassador thanked Iraqi leaders for their help, however.
"Carroll herself told Islamic Party leader Tareq al-Hashemi, whose moderate Sunni group had urged her release, that she did not know who kidnapped her, but said she had been well treated and described her captors as 'mujahideen' -- Islamic militants. She had only found out she was being freed that morning.
"'Our brothers ... were surprised when a women in Islamic dress came into their office, introduced herself as Jill Carroll and gave them a letter in Arabic asking for the IIP's help in delivering her to the responsible authorities,' Hashemi said."
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here