Jill Carroll: finally free

[alaskaflyer]

Christian Science Monitor is my favorite non-local paper, so I've been following this story as they have. Wow.

By Dan Murphy and Scott Peterson | Staff writers of The Christian Science Monitor

CAIRO AND BAGHDAD – Katie Carroll went from a deep sleep to instantly awake when she saw the Iraq country code on her caller ID. She grabbed the phone. It was 5:45 a.m and the ringing heralded the news about her twin sister, Jill, who had been held hostage in Iraq for nearly three months. "Katie, it's me," said the voice on the other end of the line. "I'm free."

FREE AT LAST: Jill Carroll, shortly after her release after 82 days as a hostage in Baghdad.
It was Jill herself, safe after 82 days.
"Then she burst into tears and I did, too,'' says Katie.
Journalist Jill Carroll was freed in Baghdad Thursday ending a period of captivity marked by an enormous global outpouring of support and calls for her release.
"I'm just really grateful. The overwhelming emotion is gratitude. I am glad this day has arrived and thank whatever forces, divine and otherwise, that helped bring about this day," says Jill.
On Jan. 7, Monitor freelancer Carroll traveled to interview Sunni Arab politician Adnan al-Dulaimi in Baghdad's western Adil neighborhood. He was not in his office, and, after waiting some 20 minutes, Carroll and her Iraqi driver and interpreter left.
After traveling about 300 yards, they were attacked by gunmen. Carroll was seized, and her interpreter, Allan Eniwya, was killed.
Thursday, Carroll's captors simply drove her to Amariyah, stopped the car, pointed her in the direction of the Iraqi Islamic Party (IPP) office at about 12:20 p.m. local time and then drove off.

 

[Sonar5]

yeah wow is right...

She is all over the TV ranting about how well they treated her, kissing her captors backsides about food, showers, TV, a Newspaper, Clothes... etc....

So I guess those videos of her pleading for her life were ummm what STAGED... Perhaps....

How does one state in an interview they never hit her or said they would hit her, and then contrast that with the videos she is in pleading for her life....

Something is suspect here, and I think its her.

Hmmm, and she never mentions the fact her interpetor was shot twice in the head, huh.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0110/p01s04-woiq.html

The body of the interpreter, Allan Enwiyah, 32, was later found in the same neighborhood. He had been shot twice in the head, law enforcement officials said. There has been no word yet on Carroll's whereabouts.

Very suspicious, IMHO...

I also read that her videos while in captivity had her whing like a baby yet no tears were to be seen at all....

But hey glad she is ok, and glad to see she seemed to enjoy her experience with all that good food, showers, clothes, etc... and her family allegedly being grief stricken while she was held.

yeah.... Uh huh, I'm buying that one....... NOT......

Her video today totally contradicts stories like this one here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11102758/

Better read it before it gets pulled, IMHO.

CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Jazeera aired a new videotape Monday of kidnapped U.S. journalist Jill Carroll, showing her wearing a headscarf and weeping as she purportedly appealed for the release of female Iraqi prisoners.

Haaa......

Interesting Read here:
1) http://chickenhawkexpress.blogspot.com/2006/02/jill-carroll-you-read-and-you-decide.html

Look at how well she was treated here:
http://deseretnews.com/photos/2639380.jpg

Contrast that image with her comments today:

1) "I was treated well, but I don't know why I was kidnapped,"

2) But Carroll said, "They never hit me. They never even threatened to hit me."

 

[poadeleted1]

She is lucky. Stupid, but lucky. Anyone who enters a combat zone, in any capacity should count themselves as dead immeidately. If they come out of it alive, then they can consider themselves extremely fortunate.

From a soldiers' perspective, if you go in any other way, you tend to be overly cautious and your overriding focus is not the mission but staying alive, which could cost other people their lives.

Civilians, unarmed civilians, do not belong in a fire zone. Period.

 

[RogerT]

Something is suspect here, and I think its her.

It'll be interesting to see what she says once she's safely
back on U.S. soil and has had some time to decompress. She
said a lot of that stuff while still in Iraq.

It's not unusual for hostages to be brainwashed into being
sympathetic to their captives. They're dependent on them for
everything for a period of time.

RT

 

[Missa]

But hey glad she is ok, and glad to see she seemed to enjoy her experience with all that good food, showers, clothes, etc... and her family allegedly being grief stricken while she was held.

You know, You really sound like one of the conspiracy theorist here... "Oh my she staged this and her family knew all about it, they were all acting!" Please don't belittle people you don't know, it's unbecoming.

Where I don't know Jill or her motives, I can speak to her mother and I would VERY HIGHLY DOUBT that Mrs. Carroll would have been party to the sort of conspiracy you are suggesting.

Missa

 

[Sonar5]

Just got another UNSIGNED neg rep... Whoohoo

Enjoy.....

Billiting people you have no knowlage of is not of worth to this board.

Response:
I have read enough to have an opinion on this person. She was an activist prior to this alleged kidnapping, media stunt, and will likely start appearing on all the talk shows upon her return.

Remember she was unemployed going over there, and she is an activist.


And Missa,

It's called an opinion and I am free to offer it in my context.

You Said:

You know, You really sound like one of the conspiracy theorist here... "Oh my she staged this and her family knew all about it, they were all acting!" Please don't belittle people you don't know, it's unbecoming.

Thanks for the comments, wrong as they are, IMHO. I never stated any such thing. PLease scroll up and read what I actually wrote.

I said:

.....and her family allegedly being grief stricken while she was held.

I specifically used the word allegedly, because I am not sure of their sincerity. It is a very common term.

I never stated her family knew or did not know about anything.

Thanks for the comments though....
Joe

 

[Sonar5]

here is another UNSIGNED neg rep...

how bizarre. you allege a family "may" feel grief at a kidnapping. you have even less cred now.

Response:
Well, I used allegedly because I don't know whether it is real or not. I am however entitled to my opinion on the matter.

As for cred, maybe you can clarify what you meant by that.

And as for kidnapping, I have my opinion, and I am not thouroughly convinced the whole thing was a sham from the gitgo... If it was a sham, then I guess it was not a kidnapping at all, huh?

Thanks for the neg rep though, getting closer to zero, still positive though. Keep up the unsigned reps though. I really do enjoy reading and responding to them.

 

[alaskaflyer]

For the record I never started this thread to be a political topic - it was breaking news and I thought it was a great story.

Typical that it would be hijacked as such.

Sonar/Joe, I have long ago resolved myself to the fact that you are a very special person online and thus I haven't bothered to give you any feedback at all one way or another. If you don't believe me PM a moderator. If other people are jumping on you for your posts, you should consider why and leave me out of it.

Having been a victim of kidnapping at one time, I think your (this being the plural "your") assumptions about her behavior are unfounded and at worst callous. She doesn't know how to feel at this point, so it only makes sense that she would be all over the board in her reactions.

As to the opinion that she should never have gone there in the first place - I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[poadeleted3]

snip
As to the opinion that she should never have gone there in the first place - I agree wholeheartedly.

Well, she's journalist and has a job to do. She's also naive, and apparently so was her companion of the day, an error for which he paid, IIRC. In a place where journalists are actively being targeted, if I had a scheduled interview with a character like she did, showed up, and no one was around, I'da run like hell right off the bat, and hoped for the best. May or may not have made a difference.

 

[woodstock]

timely article and chat:

A reporter who was kidnapped, and also made it out, wrote an article for the Post and is conducting a chat on the subject. interesting read.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/03/31/DI2006033101115.html

 

[ednowlin]

My thoughts exactly on this subject Sonar5! Couldn't have said it better myself... when will people realize "THERE'S A WAR GOING ON!" Oh, some say she knew there was a war... well then is she there for side "A" or side "B"? And don't tell me journalists are objective and don't have an opinion or an agenda... EVERYONE has an opinion!

 

[Anthony]

I think she may be similar to the "peace activists" who recently were rescued my our armed forces then continued to ridicule them after they were rescued. Sorry, she's an enemy sympathizer. She was before she was captured and remains one even after she saw one of her crew brutally murdered.

 

[SkyHog]

EVERYONE has an opinion!

Especially jounalists. They are the most biased of almost any other group of people in the country, surpassing even politicians, IMHO.

But they can hide behind "jounalistic integrity" and get away with it.

 

[alaskaflyer]

Sorry, she's an enemy sympathizer. She was before she was captured and remains one even after she saw one of her crew brutally murdered.

What are you basing that on? The video she was forced to make while still in captivity? The one she made in return for her freedom? (Too bad she didn't know morse code?) Or her insane babbling immediately after she was released from over 80 days in captivity? What, you wanted her to make sense?

You guys are too much God help all of you if you ever have the misfortune of experiencing half of what she went through. MAybe you can find a former POW and ask him/her about your comments above. Better be ready to duck!

/rant off/ whew! Anyway...

"I'm so happy to be free and am looking forward to spending a lot of time with my family. I want to express my deep appreciation to all the people who worked so long and hard for my release. I am humbled by the sympathy and support expressed by so many people during my kidnapping.

In the past few days, the US military and officials have been extremely generous, and I am grateful for their help. Throughout this ordeal, many US agencies have committed themselves to bringing me safely home.

My colleagues at The Christian Science Monitor have worked ceaselessly to secure my release, and worked with security consultants to do so. Many other news organizations, both inside and outside of Iraq, as well as many officials from Iraq and other countries, worked hard to bring about my freedom. So many people around the world spoke out on my behalf.

Thank you, all of you.

During my last night in captivity, my captors forced me to participate in a propaganda video. They told me they would let me go if I cooperated. I was living in a threatening environment, under their control, and wanted to go home alive. I agreed.

Things that I was forced to say while captive are now being taken by some as an accurate reflection of my personal views. They are not. The people who kidnapped me and murdered Allan Enwiya are criminals, at best. They robbed Allan of his life and devastated his family. They put me, my family and my friends--and all those around the world, who have prayed so fervently for my release--through a horrific experience. I was, and remain, deeply angry with the people who did this.
I also gave a TV interview to the Iraqi Islamic Party shortly after my release. The party had promised me the interview would never be aired on television, and broke their word. At any rate, fearing retribution from my captors, I did not speak freely. Out of fear I said I wasn't threatened. In fact, I was threatened many times.
Also, at least two false statements about me have been widely aired: That I refused to travel and cooperate with the US military and that I refused to discuss my captivity with US officials. Again, neither is true.

I want to be judged as a journalist, not as a hostage. I remain as committed as ever to fairness and accuracy--to discovering the truth--and so I will not engage in polemics. But let me be clear: I abhor all who kidnap and murder civilians, and my captors are clearly guilty of both crimes.

Now, I ask for the time to heal. This has been a taxing 12 weeks for me and my family. Please allow us some quiet time alone, together."

Sounds good to me. My apologies, Jill, for even posting the thread

 

[poadeleted3]

snip

During my last night in captivity, my captors forced me to participate in a propaganda video. They told me they would let me go if I cooperated. I was living in a threatening environment, under their control, and wanted to go home alive. I agreed.
snip

And I would have done the same thing. Reality is, if you refuse you are dead to no gain, and the chances of being rescued are next to non-existent. There is nothing to be gained by dying in this case, and those are the cold hard facts as I see them.

 

[ScottM]

And I would have done the same thing. Reality is, if you refuse you are dead to no gain, and the chances of being rescued are next to non-existent. There is nothing to be gained by dying in this case, and those are the cold hard facts as I see them.

I agree Joe. When I went through survival school in the Air Force for flight crew members we had a mini-pow camp to learn about captivity. Long story short, some of the cadre were former prisoners and spoke to us not about if we were to break under the stress but 'when' we will break under the stress. Ever since then I pay little heed to any video, report, letter, etc. from a prisoner. I treat all of them as forced lies. It is only later, when they are free, that I'll give any credence to what a former prisoner says.

 

[woodstock]

that is pretty much what the hostage mentioned above said - see my link. it was a live chat with him.

 

[Anthony]

She went there with the attituded that they were right and we were wrong. I'm not saying she wasn't coerced to make the statements, but she is against our involvement in Iraq. I understand the psycohologial nature of interogation, and I'm sure she stated things beyond her true beliefs, but the basic dislike of our prsecence there looms large. She spent too much time saying how nice they were AFTER she was out than she should have. No mention of her murdered crew in any statement AFTER she was freed.

I know the jury is still out, but my bets are on a anti U.S./pro-insurgencey, ie, "freedom fighter rant when she writes the book and does the talk show circuit. Watch.

Richard. Chill out. We're allowed our opinions aren't we?

 

[ScottM]

She spent too much time saying how nice they were AFTER she was out than she should have. No mention of her murdered crew in any statement AFTER she was freed.

You must not have seen this, it is her statement after release and was free to speak. That first statement of how 'good captivity was' was made under duress.

The people who
kidnapped me and murdered Alan Enwiya are criminals, at best. They robbed
Alan of his life and devastated his family. They put me, my family and my
friends all those around the world who have prayed so fervently for my
release through a horrific experience. I was, and remain, deeply angry
with the people who did this.

The compelete statement is here http://www.sltrib.com/nationworld/ci_3667043

 

[Missa]

She spent too much time saying how nice they were AFTER she was out than she should have. No mention of her murdered crew in any statement AFTER she was freed.

AFTER she was freed but in the Islamic Party offices where her captors had felt free enough to drop her off. Would you feel safe to speak your mind there? or would you contine to say what they wanted you to say because in the back of your mind you are thinking they may give you back???? I put no creadance in her statements untill she set foot on american soild... go back re-read alaskaflyer's post and her statements after she was back on US soil. She recanted everything from that statement saying she still didn't feel safe to speak her mind there and did mentioned her murdered crew in that statement.

And Anthony, you are allowed your oppinion as long as you don't bash people you know nothing about. I don't know Jill but I can't imagine her mother raising a daughter like you describe.

Missa

 

[Frank Browne]

I agree with Scott on this one. The only statement of hers that is credible to me, is the one she made after she felt safe enough to speak her mind.

 

[Anthony]

And Anthony, you are allowed your oppinion as long as you don't bash people you know nothing about. I don't know Jill but I can't imagine her mother raising a daughter like you describe.

I don't need to re-read anything. This whole episode smacks of B.S. And children can be VERY different from their parents. I'm not saying she is evil or wrong to have her opinion, I'm saying this is total B.S.

 

[alaskaflyer]

She went there with the attituded that they were right and we were wrong. I'm not saying she wasn't coerced to make the statements, but she is against our involvement in Iraq. I understand the psycohologial nature of interogation, and I'm sure she stated things beyond her true beliefs, but the basic dislike of our prsecence there looms large. She spent too much time saying how nice they were AFTER she was out than she should have. No mention of her murdered crew in any statement AFTER she was freed.

I know the jury is still out, but my bets are on a anti U.S./pro-insurgencey, ie, "freedom fighter rant when she writes the book and does the talk show circuit. Watch.

Richard. Chill out. We're allowed our opinions aren't we?

Absolutely - but I get to rant a little don't I?

And though what I went through was nothing compared to her experience, it is a little 'bit personal.

I make no apologies for her attitudes before her kidnapping, my point was that you shouldn't form an opinion based on either the tapes from her captivity, or much of anything that she has said since because she is still decompressing. And like she said in her statement above a lot of the negative things that have come out on blogs and the Internet as a whole have been pure lies.

 

[Anthony]

Absolutely - but I get to rant a little don't I?

Of course!

Do you really think this person is going to say anything positive about the U.S. and negative about Arabs who she is fascinated with and dieing to emulate?