• Posted January 26, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.
A group of 37 Jordanian and other Arab intellectuals, politicians, and journalists
"The Iraqi people have been suffering from the awful consequences of occupation, violence and the spread of armed gangs and militant groups, the greatest part of which inflicts civilians, including innocent women, children and peaceful elders. International reports have revealed the fact that at least tens of thousands of civilian victims have lost their lives since the beginning of the war in Iraq. This combines with the slow pace of the efforts to rebuild Iraq, deepening and multiplying the suffering.
"What the Iraqi people need today are free and independent voices, separate from political and ideological propaganda, to expose the dimensions of this suffering and shed light on the reality. These voices must also be allowed to convey the true picture of the Iraqi people who seek freedom, independence, and the rebuilding of their country. In these crucial and dangerous times, we are shocked by the kidnapping of Jill Carroll, the American journalist, whose freedom was taken the 7th of January, despite the fact that she is well known for her independent, authentic, and objective reports - and her sympathy with the causes and daily suffering of the Iraqi people.
"Consideration of her release should not be related to her nationality, but rather, to her role, message, and reports that testify to her credibility, independence, and honesty. The kidnapping of Carroll then is a kidnapping of one of the witnesses of the human suffering of the Iraqi people.
"Condemning and rejecting all assaults on journalists, their kidnapping, and detention - we, the undersigned ... scientists, intellectuals and politicians will exert and intensify our best efforts to release Ms. Carroll, the friend of the Iraqi people. We are mindful of the fact that The Christian Science Monitor, for which Ms. Carroll works, is best known for its objectivity and authenticity in dealing with the news of Iraq. The newspaper also was awarded seven Pulitzer prizes for journalism, including one for the role it undertook in disclosing the massacre that was committed against thousands of Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica."
• Ayman Al-Safadi, Chief Editor of Al-Ghad Daily.
• Fakhri M. Abu-Shaqra, Chairman of International Affairs Society in Amman.
• Dr. Khaldoun Al-Nasser, General Secretary of Al-Ahd Party in Jordan.
• Hazem Saghyieh, Lebanese writer.
• Hamadah Fara'neh, A Jordanian writer and politician.
• Jamal Sultan, An Egyptian intellectual and journalist.
• Faleh Al-Taweel, A diplomat and a former MP.
• Dr. Mohammed Al-Ahmari, A Saudi intellectual.
• Mousa Barhomeh, Executive Editor in Chief in Al-Ghad Daily.
• Mohammed Jamal Arafeh, An Egyptian writer and political analyst.
• Marwan Al-Fa'ori, General Secretary of the Jordanian Middle Islamic Party.
• Dr. Hayel Abdul-Hafiz, Head of Islamic Fiqh Dept. at The University of Jordan.
• Tawfiq Shouman, a Lebanese writer and intellectual.
• Abdullah Abu-Rumman, a Jordanian writer.
• Dr. Hassan Al-Barari, a researcher at The Strategic Studies Center at The University of Jordan.
• Sultan Al-Hattab, a Jordanian writer and Journalist.
• Jamil Al-Nemri, a Jordanian writer.
• Oraib Al-Rentawi, a Jordanian writer.
• Ibrahim Gharaybeh, a Jordanian writer and journalist.
• Sameeh Al-Ma'aytah, a Jordanian writer.
• Dr. Fares Braizat, a researcher at The Strategic Studies Center at The University of Jordan.
• Dr. Mohammed H. Al-Moumani, Political Sciences professor at Yarmouk University.
• Dr. Waleed Al-Turk, a Jordanian intellectual.
• Lamis Andoni, a Jordanian writer and journalist.
• Mohammed Abu Rumman, chief editor of studies in Al-Ghad Daily.
• Manar Al-Rashawani, a Syrian writer.
• Dr. Mohammed Arna'out, History professor at Al-El-Beit University.
• Dr. Fayez Al-Rubei', member of the political office in the Islamic Middle party.
• Basem Al-Twaysi, a Jordanian writer and intellectual.
• Dr. Maleq Al-Moumani, of the Jordanian Forum.
• Hiyam Dumrah, member of the Islamic Literature Association.
• Dr. Muhannad Mubaydin, History professor at Philadelphia University.
• Basmah Al-Nsour, a Jordanian writer.
• Samir Khair Ahmad, a Jordanian writer.
• Dr. Abdul-Razzaq Abul-Basal, Shari'a professor at Yarmouk University.
• Murad Batal Al-Shishani, a Jordanian writer and researcher.
• Dr. Hassan Abu-Ni'meh, a former Jordanian Ambassador.
• Posted January 23, 2006 at 12:05 p.m.
Montasser al-Zayat, Head of the Liberties Committee, Egyptian Lawyers' Syndicate
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.
"I followed with grave concern the kidnapping of the American journalist Jill Carroll on Saturday, January 7, west of Baghdad. I'm concerned as to what extent the resistance factions - who are kidnapping journalists and media workers - are following the guidelines of religion. The resistance, which has the right to fight the occupation and target its symbols and spies, must also be sure of the facts on the ground.
"I learned from media reports and from friends who knew the kidnapped reporter that she was well known for her sympathy towards the Iraqi people since the start of the terrible occupation. She observed the Arab and Islamic traditions, and dressed modestly out of respect to the Iraqi customs derived from Islam. Also her published reports show clearly her sympathetic approach towards the Iraqi cause. If the reporter has been in the hands of the Iraqi resistance for nearly two weeks now, then this means she has been interrogated carefully, and the truth should have been revealed by now to the kidnappers.
"I'm asking the kidnappers to release her so that it would be a clear message to the whole world - a message of a just cause and the ability to achieve justice even under the most difficult circumstances, where the Iraqi people and the resistance movements are facing the tyranny of the occupier.
"I'm sending my regards to the honorable resistance men, who are fighting the occupation, and I'm reminding everyone with our prisoners in the occupation prisons in Iraq and Palestine. May Allah help secure their release."
• Posted January 20, 2006 at 1:07 p.m.
Adnan al-Dulaimi, Iraqi Accordance Front
I am appealing to those who kidnapped the American journalist Jill Carroll. I'm pleading with you to release her. She's a woman who struggled for the sake of the Iraqi people and defended the Iraqi people. She condemned the war on Iraq. She came here to cover our stories and let the world know about us.
I am appealing to you in the name of God, in the name of anything holy, to let her go. She came to the General Conference of the Iraqi People headquarters to interview me. I am Dr. Adnan Dulaimi. I am the one who has been defending Iraqi unity and Iraqi independence. I'm the one who has been committed to the rebuilding of Iraq.
I am asking you to release this woman. By kidnapping her, you are insulting me. You're insulting the work that I've been doing for Iraq. To the men who are kidnapping her: You know that the woman has a special status in our religion, our culture, and our principles. I'm asking those men who have kidnapped her to release her unconditionally, and I promise, with the help of God, to work on releasing Iraqi prisoners in Iraqi and American jails. I have worked hard in the past to secure the release of Iraqi prisoners. I give names of prisoners who are in detention, and some have been released. The arrest of this noble journalist will complicate my efforts to release Iraqi prisoners.
I'm appealing to you, the ones who are holding this woman, to let her go, to free her, for the sake of our country and in the name of our honor and principles, in the name of the Iraqi people -- we, the sons of the Tigris and Euphrates, the sons of Falah Eldin (famous hero in Iraqi history). I'm calling upon you to release this journalist, and, with the help of God, I promise to continue to my work to release all Iraqi prisoners.
• Posted January 19, 2006 at 10:30 a.m.
• Posted January 19, 2006 at 7:30 a.m.
Mohamed Mahdi Akef, Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brothers
"The Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brothers, Mohamed Mahdi Akef, calls on the kidnappers of the American journalist Jill Carroll to release her immediately, so as to close the door in front of those who are conspiring against the Iraqi resistance, aiming at distorting its image in front of the world and showing it [the Iraqi resistance] as merely terrorist operations that deserve American aggression.
"[The Supreme Guide] stresses that the means of resistance should remain noble. The efforts of all factions should be focused on working to liberate Iraq from the tyrannical occupation which took the lives and humiliated hundreds of thousands.
"The Supreme Guide calls on all Iraqi factions to protect civilian lives, Iraqis or not, and especially the lives of reporters and media workers who came to expose the crimes of occupation."
• Posted January 19, 2006 at 6:52 a.m.
Egyptian human rights organizations
"Eight Egyptian human rights organizations demanded that abductors of the American journalist, Jill Carroll, working for The Christian Science Monitor, release her.
"The American freelance journalist is known for her extreme sympathy towards the Iraqi people and opposition to their suffering since the outbreak of the war and the invasion of Iraq. Her respect to Iraqi, Arab, and Islamic norms and traditions has been reflected in her choice of clothing sending a message to the Iraqi people that she is aware of and appreciates these traditions.
"Carroll was abducted on Jan. 7 2006 in al-Adl district, Baghdad, while she was on her way to interview political leaders there.
"The signatory Egyptian human rights organizations hope that their appeal will reach Carroll's abductors. They plead for her release as a sign of their good intentions and in respect to a journalist highly respected by all. In addition, The Christian Science Monitor has been known for its objectivity and seriousness in covering Iraq. The publication has won 7 Pulitzer prizes, including a prize for revealing the massacre that was committed against thousands of Bosnian Muslims by Serbia.
"At the same time, the signatory organizations are beseeching all Iraqi groups to not include journalists in a conflict in Iraq and to work on protecting their lives."
After the kidnappers of Jill Carroll threatened to kill her within three days, if their demands were not met, some of Iraq's most influential Sunni Arab leaders condemned the threat and the taking of hostages.
Adnan al-Dulaimi, Iraqi Accordance Front
"This is against us as well, not only against the foreigners. We'll try our best, we'll do as much as possible to release Jill. I'm telling you, it's very difficult, but I'll try my best," al-Dulaimi said by phone from Kuwait on Wednesday evening.
"You can publish this as a statement on my behalf condemning his act, although it's going to expose me to danger, but if you think it's going to help, I don't mind publishing it. We refuse this act. It's absolutely condemned.
"I promise you again, I'll do my best to release this journalist. Kidnapping her is an act against the Iraqi people. Nobody accepts this at all."
Muthana Harith al-Dari, Muslim Scholars Association
Also condemning the kidnapping and threats against Ms. Carroll was Muthana Harith al-Dari, a leader of Iraq's Muslim Scholars Association, an umbrella group for a number of leading Sunni clerics, or Ulama. Mr. Dari said kidnapping is always wrong and called for Jill's immediate release.
"We condemn, denounce, and censure all acts that expose innocent citizens' lives to danger, regardless of their identities, whether they are ordinary citizens or journalists," Mr. Dari, who acts as the association's spokesman, told Al Sharqiya television in Iraq.
"If it is against journalists, then it's a double mistake because journalism is for the sake of everybody. So, attacking the journalists, whether by threatening, kidnapping or killing them, is going to conceal the truth," he said.
"We are under an operation that seeks to hide the truth – a big, wide operation conducted by the occupation forces and many other sides in order to veil the truth.
"These operations that target journalists serve two different purposes: First, they prevent true national patriotic voices from declaring their attitude towards the occupation; and second, they... defame the image of the forces that are really opposing the occupation," said Dari.
"Regarding the recent kidnapping of the American journalist ... This journalist is one of the anti-occupation journalists. Indeed, she wrote many articles that explain the negative signs of the occupation. Also, in a recent story, she focused on the violations performed by government security forces against civilians.
"So, [it's possible] that the occupiers might not be far removed from responsiblity for this event. But if it was done by some anti-occupation forces then this is a message from us to make them understand the situation and release her in order to allow her to go back to work and participate in uncovering the real reasons for the American occupation in Iraq and the violations against its people," said Dari.
Jill visits Monitor newsroom
Jill Carroll's return to her family
More reunion photos
Reactions to Jill's release
Efforts to free Jill
Reaction to Jill's release
