Jill Carroll update blog

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• Posted August 9, 2006 at 2:45 p.m.

Jill Carroll's father, Jim Carroll, issued the following statement after learning that four Iraqi men had been arrested in connection with Jill's kidnapping:

"We are pleased to hear about the arrest of four individuals believed to be involved in Jill's kidnapping. We are thankful for all the efforts made to bring these men to justice and continue to hope for the safe release of Iraqi hostages and the American hostage Jeff Ake of Indiana."

Jeff Ake is an American businessman who was kidnapped in Iraq on April 11, 2005.

• Posted August 9, 2006 at 2:30 p.m.

Richard Bergenheim, the editor of The Christian Science Monitor, gave a statement in front of the Monitor's Boston office on Wednesday afternoon, in response to news of the arrest of four Iraqi men in connection with Jill Carroll's kidnapping.

• Posted August 9, 2006 at 10:37 a.m. (updated at 1:30 p.m.)

The US military says four men have been arrested in connection with Jill Carroll's kidnapping.

KEY SITE: Marines searched this house in Iraq and arrested three suspects. US MARINE CORPS

In a statement, Monitor Editor Richard Bergenheim said, "Jill Carroll and her Monitor colleagues are very grateful for all of the efforts the US government made to secure Jill's freedom after she was held against her will for 82 days. Like reporters everywhere, we are reassured to hear that several of those believed to have held Jill have been apprehended. The daily threat of kidnapping in Iraq remains acute for all.  Everything possible needs to be done to relieve Iraqis and others of this scourge."

Jill's detailed story about her kidnapping and release will be published on csmonitor.com beginning this Sunday night, August 13. Sign up to get an e-mail alert for each installment of the 11-part series. And watch the video trailer.

• Posted August 8, 2006 at 6:40 p.m.

Jill Carroll is telling her story. In an 11-part series that starts Sunday night, Aug. 13, Jill will tell the tale of her three months in captivity. The series also relates what was being done in Boston, Washington, Baghdad and elsewhere to free her. The online series will include videotaped interviews with Jill, her family, and Monitor colleagues on "Team Jill." Other video includes Jill's answers to reader questions. Watch the video trailer.

• Posted May 12, 2006 at 2:30 p.m.

Thanks for the hundreds of questions e-mailed in by readers for Jill Carroll to answer. Watch this update blog for word of when responses might be posted.

• Posted May 8, 2006 at 4:25 p.m.

Ask Jill. Until end of day Tuesday, May 9, we will be gathering questions from Monitor readers for Jill to consider and possibly answer. Send us your questions, then check back in the next few weeks. That's when Jill will tell the story of what happened during her captivity – and when she will respond to a selection of your questions.

 Photos: Homecoming, Reunion, Reaction to her release

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• Posted May 2, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

What's up with Jill? Readers have asked us: Whatever happened to Jill Carroll after her US homecoming?

Jill is currently recovering from her ordeal and writing about her 82 days in captivity in Iraq.

While there have been dozens of Western hostages taken in Iraq, including other journalists, Jill is one of the few Arabic-speaking correspondents who have spent this much time observing how insurgents operate - often without them knowing what she was hearing or seeing. Her captivity was a terrifying experience, but she also got a rare look inside one of the most hard-line Islamic insurgent groups in Iraq. Stay tuned for the upcoming series.

Nearly 1,000 readers have generously contributed to the Allan Enwiya Fund. Allan, Jill's interpreter in Iraq for two years, was killed in her abduction. He is survived by his wife and two small children. Members of his family, at risk in Iraq as Christians, have been moved by the Monitor out of the country. They are applying for US government permission to join their extended family in the US. The fund, including a contribution from the Monitor, will help Allan's family start a new life.

Donations can be made online here, or sent to:

The Allan Enwiya Fund
C/O The Christian Science Monitor
One Norway Street
Boston, MA 02115

The material above appeared in the 'Reporters on the Job' feature in the May 3, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

• Posted April 9, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

We cannot begin to properly thank all of the individuals and organizations who made significant efforts to free Jill. We may never be certain which steps actually led to her release. And we can never be aware of all the people who devoted their time and resources - and took risks - to find her. The most significant reward we can offer them is the picture of Jill back in the arms of her family, and the indescribable joy and relief so evident on our faces.

We know that they shared in our joy. We can only hope that the families of the other hostages in Iraq will soon feel the same joy. We also deeply mourn the loss of Jill's friend and interpreter, Allan Enwiya.

We wish to express our gratitude to the many people and organizations whose contributions we were aware of, and acknowledge those that cannot be named, for their own safety, and due to the continuing nature of their important work....

Jill's friends and family, who have been so supportive, and the millions of people around the world who prayed for Jill's release, should take great comfort in knowing that their prayers - and ours - have been answered.

The material above also appeared in the April 10, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

• Posted April 3, 2006 at 6:30 p.m.

• Posted April 3, 2006 at 6:30 p.m.

• Posted April 3, 2006 at 4:00 p.m.

• Posted April 3, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

The following is a note from Richard Bergenheim, editor of The Christian Science Monitor, which ran in the Tuesday, April 4, issue of the Monitor under the headline, "Thanks to US government for efforts on Jill's behalf ":

Over the past few days the Monitor has mentioned its gratitude to the many parties that assisted in the effort to locate Jill Carroll and help return her to her family. She is with them now, and those who have seen pictures of her in her family's embrace have probably wiped away a stray tear.

During Jill's captivity we remained silent regarding the efforts of many within the US government to secure Jill's release. As some have assumed the government was lax in its efforts, I'm delighted today to acknowledge how extensive the government's effort was. To note this while Jill was being held could have disrupted those efforts or endangered her life. US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad in Iraq and all the services of the United States that come under the embassy's umbrella worked on Jill's case with a passion.

The US military did the same, and its care of Jill after her release was compassionate. The FBI has a special responsibility toward US citizens who are in danger abroad, and Director Robert Mueller employed his resources fully as well. To everyone who assisted, we extend our special thanks.

• Posted April 2, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

After her 82 days of captivity in Iraq, Jill Carroll was reunited with her family amid long hugs and joyful tears. Like any American dad, Jim Carroll had the video camera running when a dark, unmarked van pulled up. At first, the Carroll family wasn't sure if it was Jill or not.

They crowded around an open window and yelled her nickname, "Zippy," waving wildly.

Seconds later, she came through the door and the family met her coming down the hallway in a single family embrace.

The material above appeared in an article from the April 3, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

• Posted April 2, 2006 at 1:00 p.m.

Sen. John McCain (R) of Arizona defended Jill Carroll in an appearance on the NBC show "Meet the Press." People hearing her statements made under duress, he said, "should be thinking that this was a young woman who found herself in a terrible, terrible position, and we are glad she's home."

A former prisoner of war in Vietnam, he added, "We understand when you're held captive in that kind of situation that you do things under duress.... I would not take them seriously, I would not, any more than we took seriously other tapes and things that were done in other prison situations, including the Vietnam war."

Jill's Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt touched down at Boston's Logan Airport about 12:20 p.m.

• Posted April 2, 2006 at 7:15 a.m.

Jill Carroll is on an airliner, on her way to Boston. She touches down within hours.

• Posted April 1, 2006 at 4:00 p .m.

At a news conference in Boston, Monitor editor Richard Bergenheim read a statement written by Jill Carroll from where she is staying, briefly, at Ramstein Airbase in Germany.

Read Jill's statement.

• Posted April 1, 2006 at 7:12 a.m.

Jill arrived in Germany, her latest stop on her way to the US.

Col. Kurt Lohide, commander of the 435th Air Base Wing, welcomed her to Ramstein, a US airbase in Germany.

"I'm happy to be here," she said.

A US Air Force C17 Globemaster brought Carroll from Balad Air Base near Baghdad to Ramstein, which is in western Germany. Jill was seated in the cockpit of the plane, which was also carrying several soldiers wounded in Iraq.

She is expected to leave for the US soon on a flight out of Frankfurt.

• Posted March 31, 2006 at 11:15 a.m.

Jill's courage in covering Iraq has won her a 2006 Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation.

"It is thrilling to learn of Jill Carroll's release. Her courage and example are an inspiration to us all, especially at a time when journalists are under threat in many parts of the world, and particularly Iraq, for simply trying to cover stories vital for us all to know," said Courage in Journalism Awards Chair Judy Woodruff of the US' Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). "We are delighted to announce her selection in celebration of her freedom."

The International Women's Media Foundation created the Courage in Journalism Awards in 1990 to honor women journalists who have shown exceptional courage and bravery in the face of grave danger. Carroll is the 51st journalist to win the award; it will be presented at ceremonies in New York on October 24 and Los Angeles on November 2.

• Posted March 31, 2006 at 10:45 a.m.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) welcomed Jill's release, but echoed the Monitor's and the Carroll family's call to not forget others still being held hostage.

"We are overjoyed that this ordeal has finally ended and that Jill Carroll has been returned safely," CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said. "We continue to call for the release of other remaining captives in Iraq, and we urge armed groups to stop targeting innocent civilians."

Armed groups have kidnapped at least 39 journalists since April 2004 when insurgents began targeting foreigners, according to CPJ research. Most have been released; six have been killed.

• Posted March 30, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

In response to questions, Richard Bergenheim, the editor of The Christian Science Monitor issues the following statement:

"Neither The Christian Science Monitor nor Jill Carroll’s family negotiated Jill's release today – nor did they pay a ransom. Furthermore, we have no information that would lead us to believe that any other party negotiated Jill’s release or paid a ransom."

• Posted March 30, 2006 at 4:00 p.m.

• Posted March 30, 2006 at 11:50 a.m.

Reporters Without Borders, which has kept up a months-long international support campaign for Iraqi kidnappers to free journalists - including Jill - issued a statement Thursday calling her release "a huge relief." The organization praised the "exemplary courage and determination of her family," and the global effort, overall.

We thank all those throughout the world, particularly the major Arabic media, who campaigned for the release of this young journalist.... Our campaign will not be over until the three Iraqi reporters, Rim Zeid, Marwan Khazaal and Ali Abdullah Fayad have been released in their turn.

• Posted March 30, 2006 at 10:45 a.m.

After her release in Baghdad Thursday, Jill Carroll was dropped off near an office of the Iraqi Islamic Party, according to Iraqi police. From there, she was able to speak with US officials, and was briefly interviewed by Baghdad TV. She said she was treated well by her captors, and they never threatened her. She also said she did not know why she was kidnapped.

American authorities then took Carroll to the Green Zone, a heavily protected sector of the Iraqi capital, where she met with the US ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad. In a televised briefing, he described Jill as “in good health and great spirits," and said "no one at the US mission was involved in paying a ransom," according to the Associated Press. The New York Times reports that Mr. Khalilzad “took the occasion to praise Iraqi leaders for working for her release, and the Islamic party for its role after she was freed."

• Posted March 30, 2006 at 10:30 a.m.

Richard Bergenheim, the editor of The Christian Science Monitor, issued the following statement today after learning of Jill Carroll's release.

We were thrilled to hear that Jill Carroll has been released and will soon be back with her family. People all over the world have been working and praying for this. We can assure you that she is receiving good care and that her family will be meeting with her soon.

Few will ever know how many people have been working day and night for this result. Jill's fellow journalists, her good friends in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East, the Iraqi and American governments, leading clerics throughout the Arab world, and political leaders in Iraq have pursued every venue possible to return Jill to the arms of her family. Jill will also soon discover that people all over the world, of all faiths, have been praying for her release.

The chorus of Muslim leaders condemning this kidnapping has been larger and louder than has been heard for some time. We hope that these voices of opposition to this crime will continue on behalf of all hostage victims until this practice stops. Often, more than 30 Iraqis a day are kidnapped, and the world doesn't hear their voices or the voices of their families. They deserve attention and their freedom no less than Jill does. We hope this tide of opposition to criminal behavior will lead to the release of all other hostages as well. The Christian Science Monitor will not let these people be forgotten. The people of Iraq, and those risking their lives to help them, have a right to live in safety.

I hope you'll pause with me also to think of Allan Enwiyah, Jill's translator, who was murdered when Jill was kidnapped. Over these past months his life has been honored by many, and a special fund exists to give support to his family.

Today's a day of rejoicing. Jill's friends here at the Monitor can't wait to see her. There is no way we can thank everyone enough for helping bring this to pass.

From the Christian Science Board of Directors: The following is an excerpt from a statement released by the board, publisher of The Christian Science Monitor, which will run in full in the March 31 issue of the Monitor.

Uncountable have been the cumulative prayers and pleas, the messages of support and tears of concern shed for Jill Carroll over the past three months. Today, we cry tears of joy for her release.

Along with you-the millions of compassionate individuals representing so many faiths and nationalities, and especially the readers of The Christian Science Monitor and its website who've stood with Jill during her captivity-our hearts are full of gratitude to God for this breakthrough. We cannot help but think of the opening line of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by the Monitor's founder, Mary Baker Eddy: "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings."

And yet, the immense efforts to secure one reporter's release ultimately must be for some larger cause, for something beyond the one news bulletin we've longed to hear every day since January 7, when Jill was captured and her translator was killed. Anyone who is being held captive, out of any willful passion or purpose, should be freed. Those who were kidnapped before and after Jill must have their freedom, too. In fact, even kidnappers themselves deserve freedom from a kind of imprisonment their lives represent.

We hope and trust in the power of divine grace: That continued prayer-and political and diplomatic efforts somehow moved by this profound mental and spiritual force-will help eradicate the whole plague of kidnapping and terrorism, of violent action and reaction. The people of a region known as "the cradle of civilization" have rights beyond the human and political to enjoy the blessings of a civil and calm society.

We're deeply thankful for the monumental labors that went on in agencies and offices of the United States government, within the government of Iraq, and among individuals in Iraq and worldwide. To everyone who offered private and published messages of support along the way, you have our heartfelt thanks.

Click here to view the complete version of the above statement.

• Posted March 30, 2006 at 7:50 a.m.

Responding to the news of Carroll's release, Monitor editor Richard Bergenheim said, "this is an exciting day, we couldn't be happier. We are so pleased she'll be back with her family. The prayers of people all over the world have been answered."

• Posted March 30, 2006 at 7:03 a.m.

After being held hostage for nearly three months, Jill Carroll is free.

• Posted March 29, 2006 at 3:15 p.m.

Katie Carroll, twin sister of Jill Carroll, appeared on the Arab TV station Al Arabiya Wednesday, where she talked about how Jill's kidnapping has affected her family and to appeal directly to the Iraqi people for information that could lead to her release.

SISTERS: This 1999 photo of Jill Carroll and her twin sister, Katie (right), when they both were 21, was released Wednesday. COURTESY OF THE CARROLL FAMILY

Following are some excerpts from Katie's appearance:

"I am speaking to you today because it has been nearly two months since the last video of my sister was broadcast. We have had no contact with her nor received any information about her condition. Since that time, I've been living a nightmare, worrying if she is hurt or ill. There is no one I hold closer to my heart than my sister and I am deeply worried wondering how she is being treated. No family should have to endure having their loved one taken away from them in this way.

"My family and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Iraqi people for the support and friendship you've shown us during this difficult time....

"I hope that someone listening to me now has information that could help my sister. There are people willing to listen to you and we would be forever grateful for any new sign that Jill is well. I also hope that those with Jill have come to know her - that they recognize what a wonderful person she is and realize that they can show the world that they are merciful to an innocent woman by returning her safely home to us."

CHILDHOOD: This July, 1982, photograph of 5-year-old twins Jill and Katie Carroll was also released Wednesday. COURTESY OF THE CARROLL FAMILY

A complete version of Katie Carroll's statement Wednesday on Al Arabiya can be read here.

Added March 30: Watch video of Katie Carroll's plea:

The Monitor's chief European correspondent, Peter Ford, attended an event organized in Paris by Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders), to unveil a giant portrait of Jill Carroll in the Place de la Nation March 20.

Ms. Carroll's face, lit by a broad grin, now hangs on a column overlooking the busy square, next to the portraits of two Iraqi journalists also being held hostage, Reem Zeid and Marwan Khazaal.

PORTRAITS: Members of Reporters Without Borders attend a ceremony in Paris' Place de la Nation marking the start of the third anniversary of the war in Iraq on March 20. Giant portraits of kidnapped journalists Jill Carroll, Marwan Khazaal, and Reem Zeid overlooked the square. ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Speaking at the unveiling, held to mark the third anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq, Mr. Ford called attention to the fate of Allan Enwiya, Carroll's interpreter, who was killed during her kidnapping and became one of the 86 media professionals to have lost their lives in the conflict.

Unveiling the portraits of the two Iraqi journalist hostages were Robert Menard, head of RSF, and Pierre Schapira, a deputy mayor of Paris. The event marked the launch of a new RSF campaign to raise public awareness of the dangers facing reporters in Iraq, with the slogan "At the rate they are killing journalists in Iraq, you'll soon have to go there and get the news yourself."

Speaking on behalf of the Monitor, Ford pledged, "We have done, and will definitely continue to do everything possible to assist her [Jill's] family to get her back home."

• Posted March 23, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

Three Christian peace activists who were kidnapped in Iraq were freed Thursday by US, British, and Iraqi forces west of Baghdad. The hostages' four-month ordeal ended without a shot being fired, as coalition forces pursued intelligence gained from a detainee. The three men - Briton Norman Kember and Canadians James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden of the Chicago-based Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) - were found alone and unguarded.

Concern for their fate had mounted after the body of American Tom Fox, kidnapped with the others on Nov. 26 by a group calling itself the Swords of Righteousness Brigade, was found earlier this month.

Insurgents and gangs have kidnapped more than 250 foreigners - among them Jill Carroll, who began her 76th day of captivity Thursday.

Ms. Carroll's family said Thursday that they were "thrilled" to hear of the CPT members' release. "Although their case is unrelated to Jill's, their release gives us new hope that Jill, too, will soon be freed. We send our best wishes to these three men and their families, knowing that their reunion will be a joyful one." They added that "we are also thinking of the family of Tom Fox at this time and send them our heartfelt sympathy."

Click here to read an expanded version of the story above.

• Posted March 22, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

Christian Science Monitor staff writer Scott Peterson, currently reporting from Iraq, found that Jill Carroll is still close to the hearts of some Iraqis.

During a rare trip outside the security of his hotel complex, Scott ducked into a bank, found the Western Union desk, and handed the Iraqi banker a Post-it note with the Money Transfer Control Number on it. It also had the name of sender.

"The First Church of Christ, Scientist?" she asked in hushed tones. "How is Jill doing? Any news? We worry so much about her."

"She was a customer," the woman said, her concerned look turning to a smile. "She spoke very good Arabic."

The material above appeared in the 'Reporters on the Job' feature in the March 23, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

• Posted March 19, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

Another selection of letters from readers supporting Jill Carroll was published in the March 20 issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

Please read a sampling of the hundreds of letters we've received supporting Jill, and submit your own.

• Posted March 17, 2006 at 5:35 p.m.

According to Technorati (a leading keyword-search website that, at the time of this posting, is tracking almost 31 million sites and more than two billion links) there are 193 bloggers linking to either the Monitor website's page on Jill, or its mention of the public service videos calling for her release.

• Posted March 12, 2006 at 4:15 p.m.

One of the Web's most popular blog sites, BoingBoing, has posted a link to a Committee to Protect Bloggers post urging bloggers to link to the Monitor's public-service announcement, and to write about Jill Carroll:

Jill is not a blogger but she's got that spirit. She's an independent intellect who is fascinated by the world and has a desire to speak what she sees. So let's not leave it up to the newspapers and television stations. She's ours as much as theirs.

• Posted March 9, 2006 at 1:45 p.m.

The Christian Science Monitor has reinvigorated its Iraqi media campaign to free journalist Jill Carroll, who was on assignment for the paper when she was kidnapped on Jan. 7, 2006. The effort is focused on reminding Iraqis of her situation as she marks two months in captivity.

Television stations with national and local reach in Iraq are broadcasting public-service announcements in Arabic that carry the message: "Kidnapped American journalist Jill Carroll loves Iraq, and now she needs your help. It is time for Jill Carroll to come home safely."

Iraqi television stations have agreed to run the messages free of charge, in the spirit of a public-service announcement for a captive colleague.

Click here to read an expanded version of the story above.

• Posted March 7, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

Richard Bergenheim, editor of The Christian Science Monitor, issued the following statement on Tuesday:

We are not aware of any change in Jill Carroll's situation. Today our hearts go out to the three Christian Peacemaker activists shown in the video broadcast today on Arab television. We hope the fourth member of the team, who was not shown, is safe and well.

An article in Wednesday's Monitor talks about these four Christian Peacemaker activists, who were abducted in Iraq late last year. A silent videotape showing three of the four members aired on Al Jazeera TV Tuesday.

• Posted March 5, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

Allan Enwiyah, the Iraqi interpreter for Jill Carroll who was killed during the Jan. 7 abduction, is remembered by friends and journalists in a story in Monday's Christian Science Monitor titled 'Remembering Allan: a tribute to Jill Carroll's interpreter'. An excerpt:

Yet as much as he loved music and as comfortable as he felt with Americans and other Westerners, what motivated the young Iraqi Christian with a degree in electrical engineering was his family: his parents, to whom he was an only son, but especially to his wife, a 5-year-old daughter, Mary Ann, and a toddler son, Martin. "For them," he sometimes said, "I'll do what it takes."

The Christian Science Monitor has also set up a fund to help Allan's family, who have left Iraq and are awaiting word on their request for visas to go to the United States.

• Posted February 27, 2006 at 3:30 p.m.

Iraq's interior minister, in conversations with the US ambassador and in an interview with ABC television, says he thinks Jill Carroll is alive and will be recovered safely.

Interior Minister Bayan Jabr told ABC that his ministry knows who arranged Ms. Carroll's abduction. "We know his name and address, and we are following up on him as well as the Americans," he said. "I think she is still alive."

Jabr said in his ABC interview that his ministry does not know where Carroll is and that she may have recently been moved. His comments contradict an earlier interview US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad gave to Fox News saying that the Interior Ministry may "have information with regard to where she might be held."

Monitor editor Richard Bergenheim issued the following statement.

The Carroll family and The Christian Science Monitor continue to follow developments in Iraq very carefully. We appreciate the wide-ranging efforts being made by Iraqi and US officials to secure Jill's release. We hope that today's encouraging statements about Jill's condition and prospects for safe return are proved correct.

• Posted February 24, 2006 at 1:07 p.m.

In response to the killings of three people working for Al Arabiya television news in Samarra, Iraq, the Monitor's editor Richard Bergenheim issued this statement:

It is with deep regret that we heard of the murder of Atwar Bahat and her colleagues on Wednesday. Al Arabiya came to our aid when we asked for help in reaching the people of Baghdad in our efforts to secure Jill Carroll’s release. We want everyone at Al Arabiya to know that our hearts are one with theirs at this difficult time. We admire the dedication, courage, and commitment they have to continue their work in Iraq.

• Posted February 22, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

Students at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, held a candlelight vigil on campus for Jill Carroll Tuesday night. More than 50 attended the event, sponsored by the Muslim Students' Association and the university chapter of Amnesty International.

Carroll is a native of Ann Arbor.

"We have a duty as Muslims to uphold certain values, and one is justice," the campus newspaper quoted Aisha Jukaku, a senior majoring in business, as saying.

The Michigan Daily also quoted freshman Aysha Ansari, an engineering student, as saying, "Jill Carroll is caught in a war she has nothing to do with."

• Posted February 21, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

In a press release Tuesday, the media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders announced the launch of week-long international support campaign for Jill Carroll's release, as well as the release of two kidnapped Iraqi journalists, Rim Zeid and Marwan Khazaal.

"Reporters Without Borders activists will be launching the campaign week today, Tuesday, February 21, by taking a special bus tour in Paris to lobby journalists and other staff members of the city's main media offices about the plight of the three kidnapped victims," the press release stated.

In several cities, including Washington, London and New York, Reporters Without Borders said they will be handing out badges with the slogan "Free Jill Carroll."

RALLY BUS: People walk past a bus in Paris hired by the media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders in a show of support for kidnapped reporter Jill Carroll. ALEXANDER KLEIN/AP

Reporters Without Borders also released audio statements from the Carroll family calling for her safe release.

Jim Carroll, Jill's father, says in one of the recorded messages that he wants to "thank all of the world media for their efforts to help free my daughter Jill Carroll. She and thousands of other journalists try to bring truth to the world every day, and it is especially important in Iraq right now. My daughter was called to perform a vital service for Iraq and the rest of the world.

"Her stories in the past three years have covered political leaders and events, but also many stories of ordinary people and their struggle to survive. Those stories deserve to be told so that all people understand what is happening in Iraq. Please give your support so that Jill Carroll and Reem Zeid and Marwan Khazaal, also held in Iraq, will be free to continue their vital work."

In another audio message, Jill's sister, Katie Carroll, pays tribute to her sister:

"Jill is the strongest and most caring person I know. I'm proud of her and I hope that young journalists around the world are inspired by her passion. It is my wish that Jill, Reem Zeid, and Marwan Khazaal will soon be able to resume their work in bringing the stories of Iraq to the world."

Jill is no "hotel journalist": In a column in the independent Palestinian newspaper Al Quds Al Arabi, Muhammad Krishan, a Tunisian broadcaster at Al Jazeera, called Feb. 15 for Jill Carroll's release. He praised her willingness to go out to explore what is really going on in Iraq. The translation of his column, excerpted below, is courtesy of www.mideastwire.com:

All those who have worked alongside [Jill Carroll] or heard of her spoke highly of her love for her profession and her dedication to her job, but most important, they indicated that in reporting Arab issues, even before she went to Iraq, she always tried to understand what was really happening, far from the preconceived diagnosis adopted by a number of Western journalists sent to our region. Moreover, Carroll had left peaceful Jordan to go, willingly, to what has become, and without exaggeration, hell to local and foreign journalists, or even their most massive graveyard in the latest international conflicts.

Lately, all that many reporters have seen in Iraq were the Baghdad airport and the Palestine Hotel, where they stay the whole time and only leave when going back to the airport. They are the journalists that bold UK reporter Robert Fisk refers to as "hotel journalists."

They do not go anywhere, just sit in the hotel under American protection, hire a group of Iraqi photographers and journalists to cover the events and take statements as they sip their coffees and teas and make a few phone calls. Some of them start writing and sending their articles, or go on television with the nearby mosque appearing in the background.

No one is blaming them, now that death has become a daily occurrence in the streets of Baghdad, in houses of worship from mosques to churches, but this was worth mentioning just to appreciate the fact that a young female reporter, and an American one on top of that, has so much courage and journalistic integrity that she refuses to deal with the situation in that manner. ["Hotel journalism"] increases the risk of twisting the truth, of exaggeration or misinterpretation, simply because the reporter has not seen the event with his own eyes and settled for what those working with him are telling him. No one can guarantee that they are above political and religious biases in today's Iraq.

The kidnapping of any reporter is refused in general, whether we like the reporting he is doing or not and regardless of its content. What would be the case then, if the kidnapped is a reporter from Jill Carroll's caliber, one that conveys the daily suffering in Iraq as she has seen it with her own eyes, and as she has recorded it from the testimonies of citizens and politicians, and from humanitarian sessions that hold their own meanings?

That is why we are still pleading for the kidnappers to release her, because Jill Carroll can't be held responsible for what the Americans and their Iraqi allies are committing.

• Posted February 17, 2006 at 10:30 a.m.

In Amherst, Massachusetts, about 100 students rallied in support of Jill Carroll Thursday.

Carroll graduated from the University of Massachsetts at Amherst in 1999. One of her journalism professors, Karen List, praised Carroll for telling the stories of how ordinary Iraqi families have been affected by the war.

RALLY: Students rallied in Amherst, Mass. in support of Jill Carroll Thursday. FROM WCVB-TV BOSTON

Students who now work at the campus newspaper where Carroll started her journalism career say they're inspired by the work she has done in Iraq.

• Posted February 16, 2006 at 11:45 a.m.

• Posted February 15, 2006 at 10:20 a.m.

On Tuesday, Al Iraqiya, one of Iraq's most watched TV stations, began carrying a public service video calling for the release of Jill Carroll. The spot reminds viewers of Jill's love for Iraq and includes interviews with Iraqis who talk about their concern for Jill, saying they've come to feel as if she's one of their daughters.

The televised announcement is part of an ongoing campaign by the Iraqi media to support efforts to free Jill.

PSA: An image from the public service announcement that aired on an Iraqi TV station is shown in this screen grab from a CNN broadcast. FROM CNN

There are two versions of the public service video. The shorter version portrays Iraqis and Jill's mother Mary Beth Carroll appealing for her release. The longer one incorporates an emotional appeal from Adnan al-Dulaimi, the influential Sunni Arab politician Jill had been hoping to interview on the morning of her abduction, speaking of how deeply distressed he's been left by Jill's abduction.

Several other major Iraqi TV stations have indicated they intend to run the public service announcement in the coming days.

• Posted February 10, 2006 at 6:30 p.m.

The owner of a Kuwaiti TV station said Friday that the kidnappers of Jill Carroll want to see a resolution of the situation by Feb. 26.

Al Rai satellite station owner Jassem Boudai said the new information came from "sources close to the kidnappers."

The Associated Press reported:

"Mr. Boudai said the sources claimed Carroll, who was abducted in Baghdad on Jan. 7, "is in a safe house owned by one of the kidnappers in downtown Baghdad with a group of women."

He said the sources also claimed Carroll was in good psychological condition and was doing housework with the women in the place of her detention. The sources also said the kidnappers denied killing Carroll's translator when they abducted her at gunpoint ... "

According to AP, Boudai said that he believed Ms. Carroll's kidnappers were the same ones who seized two Italian aid workers in September 2004, and released them several weeks later.

The new message comes one day after Al Rai aired a videotape of Carroll, who asked for action - as quickly as possible.

• Posted February 9, 2006 at 4:55 p.m.

A newly released video of abducted reporter Jill Carroll has been aired by a Kuwaiti TV station, Al Rai TV, and rebroadcast on US networks. In the video, which was shown with audio, Jill Carroll appeared composed - a stark contrast to the previous video that aired on Al Jazeera on Jan. 30, in which Carroll appeared distressed.

NEW VIDEO: Jill Carroll is shown in this screen grab from the video. FROM CNN/AL RAI

The following is a full transcript of the audio from the video:

"Today is Thursday, February 6 - [corrects herself] - February 2, 2006. I'm with the mujahideen. I sent you a letter written by my hand that you wanted more evidence so we're sending you this new letter now just to prove that I am with the mujahideen."

"I'm here, I'm fine. Please, just do whatever they want, give them whatever they want as quickly as possible. There is very short time; please do it fast. That's all."

Monitor Editor Richard Bergenheim immediately issued the following statement:

"It is always difficult to see someone speaking under coercion and under these circumstances. We are seeking more information about the letter that Jill refers to in the video. We remain in constant contact with Jill’s family and are still doing everything possible to obtain Jill’s release."

The family of Jill Carroll released the following statement:

"The family is hopeful and grateful to all those working on Jill's behalf."

• Posted February 8, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

It has been more than a month since Jill Carroll was kidnapped in Baghdad. Here is a look, in photos, at various appeals and demonstrations that have been made – from the US, to Paris and Rome, to Baghdad – each calling for her release.

• Posted February 7, 2006 at 12:00 p.m.

Reporters Without Borders held a demonstration in Paris Tuesday to mark 30 days of captivity in Iraq for American journalist Jill Carroll. French actress Juliette Binoche and former French hostage Florence Aubenas attended.

Robert Ménard, secretary-general of the organization, said, "The impressive show of solidarity that was maintained for Ms. Aubenas all the time she was a hostage should now be repeated for Ms. Carroll, and for Iraqi journalists Reem Zeid and Marwan Khazaal, of whom there has been no news since they were kidnapped on Feb. 1."

The Monitor's chief European correspondent, Peter Ford, said that when French journalists were held hostage in Iraq, similar demonstrations caught the attention of their kidnappers. "They told them that events were being held on their behalf, and the kidnap victims found it heartening."

JULIETTE AND JILL: The French actress Juliette Binoche ('Chocolat,' 'The English Patient') was among those offering their support to a plea in Paris Tuesday to free journalist Jill Carroll. AP

The photo above also appeared in the February 8, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

• Posted February 2, 2006 at 5:52 p.m.

A poster of Jill Carroll will be hung from Rome's city hall starting Sunday in a sign of hope and solidarity, the mayor's office said.

The poster will be kept at the city hall building atop Capitoline Hill until the hostage is released, said a statement by Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni.

Over the last months, posters of other men and women kidnapped in Iraq or elsewhere have been hung from the same spot.

DON'T FORGET JILL: A poster of Jill Carroll was hung Sunday outside city hall in Rome. It will remain there until Jill is freed. PIER PAULO CITO/AP

The photo above also appeared in the February 6, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

• Posted February 2, 2006 at 5:20 p.m.

Mustafa Abu Sway, professor of philosophy and Islamic studies at Al Quds University in East Jerusalem, offers an Islamic perspective on kidnapping on The Christian Science Monitor's opinion page for February 3. He introduces the concept of "al Mustamin," "the foreign person whose safety is guaranteed," as part of sharia, or Islamic law, and argues that the Koran forbids kidnapping.

• Posted February 1, 2006 at 2:15 p.m.

Many groups have launched new efforts to secure Jill Carroll's release.

The front page of Baghdad’s New Sabah newspaper Wednesday carried a public service announcement with a picture of Jill Carroll urging her captors to free her. The message is headlined, "She loves Iraq. Now she needs your help."

Also on Wednesday, Waddah Khanfar, managing director of Al Jazeera, made an on-air petition on behalf of himself and all Al Jazeera journalists, for the immediate release of Carroll.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has commented on efforts to free Jill Carroll. "Everything is being done to work with those who might have influence, and there are an awful lot of people who are calling for her release," she told reporters Tuesday.

The material above also appeared in the February 2, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

• Posted February 1, 2006 at 11:15 a.m.

• Posted February 1, 2006 at 10:00 a.m.

The Jordan Times, one of the newspapers Jill Carroll has written for, published a second editorial Wednesday appealing to Jill's captors to release her, and reiterating her commitment to the Iraqi cause. Some excerpts:

"By kidnapping her, you silenced one of the few pro-Arab and pro-Iraqi voices in the international press. By continuing to hold her, you are harming the Arab and Iraqi cause."

"We said this once and we repeat it today: With her firm rejection of any propaganda, her resolve to serve the truth, even at great personal risk, and her determination to expose the horrors of war and the suffering of the Iraqi people, Jill makes one of the best ambassadors Arabs could ever hope for."

The first editorial by The Jordan Times on Jill, titled "Our Jill," was published Jan. 15.

• Posted January 31, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

An article from Alissa J. Rubin, a female reporter who has spent time in Iraq, talks about the increased risks that reporters face there, and how the abduction of Jill Carroll has affected her own reporting. 'When to chase the story in Iraq' originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times, and is reprinted in the February 1, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

• Posted January 30, 2006 at 5:37 p.m.

A new 40-second video of Jill Carroll aired Monday on Arab TV station Al Jazeera. The video, broadcast without audio, pictures Ms. Carroll wearing a white headscarf and weeping. Al Jazeera's newscaster says on the video that Carroll is appealing to the US military and the Iraqi Interior Ministry to release all Iraqi women prisoners, and that this "would help in winning her release." The footage appears with a time stamp of Saturday, Jan. 28, two days after the US released five Iraqi women prisoners along with 414 men prisoners.

Monitor Editor Richard Bergenheim immediately released this statement: "Anyone with a heart will feel distressed that an innocent woman like Jill Carroll would be treated in the manner shown in the latest video aired by Al Jazeera. We add our voice to those of Arabs around the world, and especially to those in Iraq, who have condemned this act of kidnapping. We ask that she be returned to the protection of her family immediately."

• Posted January 30, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

A local Baghdad television station has interviewed a family profiled by Jill Carroll in her April 15, 2005, article on how ordinary Iraqis bear the brunt of war.

The transcript of the interview quotes the mother of the family as saying of Jill, "She was coming to visit us, to see us, to see our sufferings. I call for all good people to open her cage, and set her free from this misery."

• Posted January 29, 2006 at 1:20 p.m.

A group of 37 Arab intellectuals and politicians released a statement Thursday calling for Jill Carroll's release.

• Posted January 26, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

The mother of one of five Iraqi female detainees released Thursday expressed confidence that American journalist Jill Carroll will be released soon.

"She'll be fine and she will come out very soon because she loves Iraq and she loves Iraqis, so God will never forget her," says Siham Faraj, the mother of Hala Khalid Wahid who was detained by US forces in Iraq four months ago.

But she added, "I don't think Jill Carroll's situation has anything to do with the release of my daughter, but we definitely feel her pain....

"And to her mother, I say: I know how painful it is when a daughter is detained. But don't worry, madam. Your daughter is a great woman and she will be fine."

• Posted January 25, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

The story posted earlier Wednesday about the release of five female prisoners in Iraq has been expanded.

• Posted January 25, 2006 at 4:15 p.m.

A selection of reader support e-mails was published in the Jan. 26 edition of The Christian Science Monitor.

Please read a sampling of the hundreds of letters we've received supporting Jill Carroll, and submit your own.

• Posted January 25, 2006 at 2:52 p.m.

A US military spokesman in Baghdad confirmed statements by Iraq Justice Ministry officials who said five women detainees are scheduled to be released Thursday.

The American military spokesman said the release is unconnected to the abduction of Jill Carroll. He stated that the US military and Iraqi government had processed the women's cases according to normal procedures and determined they did not need to be held any longer.

• Posted January 24, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

The Monitor has received more than 500 responses to its call for reader support of Jill Carroll. Read a selection of the e-mails received, or submit your own comments.

• Posted January 23, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

Saeed Syam, a top official of Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement) in the Gaza Strip, issued a statement on Monday asking for the release of Jill Carroll.

• Posted January 23, 2006 at 12:05 p.m.

Montasser al-Zayat, Head of the Liberties Committee, Egyptian Lawyers' Syndicate, on Monday joined the chorus of calls for Jill Carroll's release.

Mr. Zayat is a former member of the Egyptian militant group, Gamaa Islamiya (Islamic Group). He is also the author of the definitive biography of Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahiri, considered to be Al Qaeda's No. 2, and he has represented numerous Islamic militants in Egyptian courts.

• Posted January 23, 2006 at 9:04 a.m.

Jill Carroll's father, Jim Carroll, released the following statement Jan. 22.

I wish to speak to the men holding my daughter. I hope that you heard the conviction in Jill's voice when speaking of your country. That was real. She is not your enemy.

When you release her alive, she will tell your story with the same conviction. Alive my daughter will not be silenced.

Yours is a story which can be told to the world by Jill. Allowing her to live and releasing her will enable her to do so.

As you know by now, my daughter is honest, sincere, and of good heart. Her respect for the Iraqi people has been shown through her words as a reporter.

Jill started to tell your story, please, allow her to finish it.

Through the media if necessary, advise her family and me how to initiate a dialogue which will lead to her release.

• Posted January 22, 2006 at 2:30 p.m.

Also joining the Muslim voices calling for Carroll's release was Yasser al-Sirri, director of the London-based Islamic Observation Centre. He called on the "Brigades of Vengeance" - the group that is demanding Iraqi women prisoners be freed - to release Carroll rather than tarnish the image of Islam.

A spokesman in Iraq's Justice Ministry said Sunday that it still expects US forces to release six of nine Iraqi women prisoners this week, despite US comments to the contrary.

"The Iraqi detainees will be released within a week from today," the Justice Ministry spokesman told Reuters. A US military spokesman declined comment.

The material above also appeared in the January 23, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

• Posted January 21, 2006 at 10:00 a.m.

The Associated Press reports that a delegation from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) arrived in Baghdad today in an effort to spur momentum for Jill Carroll's release.

• Posted January 20, 2006 at 12:45 p.m.

When Jill Carroll was kidnapped almost two weeks ago, she had just come from an unsuccessful attempt to interview a major Sunni political leader, Adnan al-Dulaimi, at his office. Today, he held a news conference at that same office, urging Carroll's release.

• Posted January 20, 2006 at 12:26 p.m.

Reporters Without Borders held a demonstration Friday in support of Jill Carroll at the Grand Mosque of Paris. Mosque rector Dalil Boubakeur, along with five French ex-hostages, called for her release.

Grand Mosque of Paris rector Dalil Boubakeur was joined by former French hostages Florence Aubenas, held in Iraq (middle sitting), Jean-Jacques Le Garrec, held in the Philippines (far left standing), Roland Madura, held in the Philippines (middle standing) Roger Auque, held in Lebanon (right standing), and Ivan Cerieix (not shown). Photo: Reporters Without Borders

• Posted January 20, 2006 at 11:04 a.m.

Jill Carroll’s father, James Carroll, appeared on two Arab-language television networks Thursday evening, Eastern time. This is his statement to Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya.

"I want to speak directly to the men holding my daughter Jill because they also may be fathers like me.

My daughter is powerless and does not have the ability to release anyone. She is a reporter and an innocent person.

Do not sacrifice an innocent soul. Instead, use Jill's abilities as a reporter. Allow her to be your voice to the world. Her life as a reporter would better serve your purpose than her death.

As a father, I appeal to you to release my daughter for the betterment of your cause. I ask the men holding my daughter to work with her to initiate a dialogue with me."

• Posted January 19, 2006 at 6:30 p.m.

One consistent note in all the coverage of Jill Carroll's abduction: praise for the fairness of her coverage, and for her hard work in striving to tell the story of the impact of war on the Iraqi people.

For those of you who are not familiar with Jill's work, we gathered some examples and asked the Monitor's Middle East editor Michael Farrell to tell us the story behind each story.

Mike says, "Jill was passionate about this story, one of the first she filed for us. For her, it was one of the most important to tell about the war in Iraq. And this particular piece led to an outpouring of financial contributions for Zeinab Yasseen and her family from Monitor readers. It was one of those pieces that made an immediate difference."

"Long before revelations of secret prisons in Iraq's Ministry of Interior, Jill was reporting on allegations of increasing brutality within some the country's security forces," says Mike. "It was her ability to find trusting sources that put her on the leading edge of this important story."

Mike says that "Jill is well aware that traveling around Iraq is dangerous for journalists. But what she often talks about is how dangerous Iraq has become for its ordinary citizens. Especially if they wander into the wrong neighborhood. Here she writes about how the growing sectarian divide in Iraq has led to neighborhoods segregated along religious lines."

"Before Iraq's Dec. 15 parliamentary election, Jill was embedded with the marines in the mostly Sunni Anbar province. On routine patrols through villages around Huseybah, she used her Arabic language skills to speak with people on the street about what they hoped to achieve in the upcoming election," according to Mike. "Unlike the vote for the interim parliament, this time Sunni Arabs were planning to come out in force to the polls. And in this story, Jill and her colleague Ilene Prusher revealed that while Sunni Arabs might be joining the political process, many of them were not turning away from supporting the antioccupation insurgency."

• Posted January 19, 2006 at 11:50 a.m.

Mary Beth Carroll, Jill's mother, issued the following statement asking for her daughter's safe return:

"My daughter, Jill Carroll, was taken hostage on Saturday, January 7th, in Baghdad, where she works as a reporter. Jill's fairness in reporting and her genuine concern for the Iraqi people made her the invited and welcomed guest of many Iraqi friends.

A video just released gives us hope that Jill is alive, but has also shaken us about her fate. So, I, her father and her sister are appealing directly to her captors to release this young woman who has worked so hard to show the suffering of Iraqis to the world. Jill has always shown the highest respect for the Iraqi people and their customs. We hope that her captors will show Jill the same respect in return. Taking vengeance on my innocent daughter who loves Iraq and its people will not create justice.

To her captors, I say that Jill's welfare depends upon you. And so we call upon you to ensure that Jill is returned safely home to her family who needs her and loves her. Jill's father, sister and I ask and encourage the persons holding our daughter to work with Jill to find a way to contact us with the honorable intent of discussing her release."

• Posted January 19, 2006 at 10:30 a.m.

Three more organizations have called for the release of Jill Carroll: the Iraqi Islamic Party, Reporters sans Frontières [Reporters Without Borders], and The Council on American-Islamic Relations.

• Posted January 19, 2006 at 7:30 a.m.

The Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brothers, Mohamed Mahdi Akef, released a statement calling on the kidnappers of the American journalist Jill Carroll to release her.

• Posted January 19, 2006 at 6:52 a.m.

Eight Egyptian human rights organizations demanded that abductors of the American journalist, Jill Carroll, working for The Christian Science Monitor, release her. ( Read full statement.)

• Posted January 18, 2006 at 5:30 p.m.

Other prominent figures have called for the release of Jill Carroll in addition to Muthanna Harith al-Dhari (the complete version of whose statment may be read here).

•	Adnan al-Dulaimi of the Iraqi Accordance Front
•	Essam al-Eryan and Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh of the Muslim Brotherhood Association
•	Muyad al-Lami of the Iraqi Journalists' League

• Posted January 18, 2006 at 12:45 p.m.

Muthanna Harith al-Dhari, a leader of Iraq’s Muslim Scholars Association, an umbrella group for a number of leading Sunni clerics, today condemned the Jan. 7 kidnapping of freelance journalist Jill Carroll.

"All kidnappings and assasinations are completely rejected... especially when kidnapping a journalist. Journalists are here to tell the world about the occupation so kidnapping a journalist is going to hide the truth,'' said Mr. Dari, who acts as the association's spokesman, told Al Sharqiya television in Iraq.

"This journalist, Jill Carroll... is one of the great journalists who are against the occupation. She is considered one of the best journalists who stood against the American occupation of Iraq and she focused in her articles on... telling the world about the Iraqi people’s suffering."

The material above also appeared in the January 19, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

• Posted January 17, 2006 at 5:45 p.m.

Jill Carroll's captors have issued a statement asking that the United States free all Iraqi women prisoners within 72 hours – and are threatening to kill Carroll if this demand is not met. Al Jazeera television aired a brief, silent video apparently showing Carroll speaking to the camera, but without broadcasting her voice. Several American networks also have aired the video.

Her father issued the following statement:

"Jill is an innocent journalist and we respectfully ask that you please show her mercy and allow her to return home to her mother, sister and family. Jill is a kind person whose love for Iraq and the Iraqi people are evident in her articles. She has been welcomed into the homes of many Iraqis and shown every courtesy. From that experience, she understands the hardships and suffering that the Iraqi people face every day. Jill is a friend and sister to many Iraqis and has been dedicated to bringing the truth of the Iraq war to the world.

"We appeal for the speedy and safe return of our beloved daughter and sister."

– Jim, Mary Beth, and Katie Carroll

The Monitor then released this statement:

"Jill Carroll's colleagues at The Christian Science Monitor and journalists around the world appeal to her captors to release her immediately and without harm. They have seized an innocent person who is a great admirer of the Iraqi people. She is a professional journalist whose only goal has been to report truthfully about Iraq and to promote understanding. As an intelligent, dedicated, open-minded reporter, she has earned the respect of her Arab and Western peers. Since arriving in Iraq in 2003, Jill has always been treated as a guest by Iraqis and has sought to reflect their views and their hearts to the world. She has doggedly pursued stories for a variety of news organizations from several different countries. She began to file stories to The Monitor early last year.

"Jill is in our prayers."

– Richard Bergenheim, Editor

The Jordan Times material above also appeared in the January 17, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

• Posted January 14, 2006 at 12:50 p.m.

Editor's statement:

We continue to pursue every possible avenue in Baghdad to locate Jill and secure her release as soon as possible. This has been a difficult week for Jill’s family and for us. Jill's deep love for Iraq and the Iraqi people have come out in the published statements by a number of her Iraqi friends and fellow reporters. She is committed to helping the world understand the great good to be found in Iraq and its people, despite the struggles it is going through now. We and all her friends hope that she will be released soon.

Richard Bergenheim

• Posted January 13, 2006 at 5:30 p.m.

Vigorous efforts are under way on many fronts – by the Monitor, many media organizations, and government forces in Iraq – to locate and secure the release of Jill Carroll, the freelance reporter kidnapped January 7 in Baghdad while on assignment for the Monitor. No one has yet claimed responsibility for her kidnapping.

We will post any new information on this site.

Meanwhile, reactions from her friends and colleagues paint a clear picture of Ms. Carroll's life as a Middle East correspondent and of her dedication to in-depth coverage of Iraq.

"Jill's ability to help others understand the issues facing all groups in Iraq has been invaluable," said Monitor Editor Richard Bergenheim in a statement released Tuesday.

Carroll's reporting has been highly regarded since her college days, when she wrote for the student paper at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

After college, Carroll worked as a reporting assistant for The Wall Street Journal until August 2002. She then moved to Jordan, and reported for the Jordan Times before pursuing a freelance career.

"All I ever wanted to be was a foreign correspondent," Carroll wrote in an American Journalism Review piece describing the lives of freelancers in Iraq.

Carroll's friends in Bagdhad note that she is motivated not just by her professionalism, but also by a love of Iraq, a country that she has come to call "home."

"She always felt that she belongs to this country," writes Baghdad Treasure, a blogger and reporter in Iraq and a friend of Carroll. "Once, I had hamburger for lunch. 'What is this?' she said sarcastically. "You leave all this delicious Iraqi food and eat a hamburger?'"

At times, Carroll would become overwhelmed by the suffering she witnessed. "She loved this country and its people ," says the author of "24 Steps to Liberty" blog in Bagdhad and another friend of Carroll's:

"She sympathized with its sufferings and committed to tell the truth. When I talked to her about how the Iraqis live, she always cried. She cried for the sufferings of Iraq more than Iraqis. She has the nicest heart in this world. When I blamed Iraqis for what is happening in the country, she said "'don't blames [sic] the Iraqis. You should blame the governments for what they do.'"

When Carroll was abducted, her translator, Allan Enwiyah, was murdered.

Carroll has a deep love and respect for the Iraqi people and Iraqi culture, attested by her many good Iraqi friends.

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