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woman journalist abducted in Iraq, interpreter,
killed
January 9, 06
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Christian Science Monitor named a female
US journalist kidnapped in Iraq as freelancer Jill Carroll,
who
Carroll was abducted in western Baghdad on Saturday, by kidnappers
who killed her Iraqi interpreter, the paper said in a statement
calling for her release.
The incident had previously been reported from Baghdad, but
Carroll had not been identified.
"We are urgently seeking information about Ms. Carroll
and are pursuing every avenue to secure her release," said
Monitor Editor Richard Bergenheim.
Carroll had reported from the Middle East for Jordanian,
Italian and other news organizations for the last three years,
the paper said.
"In recent months, the Monitor has tapped into her professionalism,
energy, and fair reporting on the Iraqi scene," the Boston,
Massachusetts-based newspaper said in the statement.
"It was her drive to gather direct and accurate views
from political leaders that took her into western Baghdad's Adil
neighborhood on Saturday morning."
"The Monitor joins Jill's colleagues -- Iraqi and foreign
-- in the Baghdad press in calling for her immediate and safe
release."
Officials in Baghdad and the Monitor said Carroll was seized
as she was on her way to interview prominent Sunni Arab politician
Adnan al-Dulaimi.
The body of her interpreter, Allan Enwiyah, 32, was later
found in the same neighborhood.
An Iraqi defence ministry official said Enwiyah was able
to tell soldiers that Carroll had been kidnapped before he died.
Carroll's driver, quoted in a story posted on the Monitor's
website on Monday, said gunmen jumped in front of her car screaming
"Stop! Stop! Stop!" and others jumped in and surrounded
Carroll and Enwiyah.
"They didn't give me any time to even put the car in
neutral," the driver, who requested anonymity, said.
A guard outside Dulaimi's office told AFP on Saturday he
heard gunshots fired a short distance away and rushed to find
the body of a slain man.
Dulaimi however told AFP he had no appointment to meet a
Western journalist.
Several Westerners are already being held hostage by insurgents
in Iraq, including an American, a Briton and two Canadians, all
members of a Christian peace group.
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