Baghdad, Iraq – U.S. journalist Jill Carroll, weeping and veiled, appeared on a new videotape aired Monday by al-Jazeera, and the Arab television station said she appealed for the release of all Iraqi women prisoners.
The video was dated Saturday – two days after the U.S. military released five Iraqi women.
Carroll, 28, was crying and wore a conservative Islamic veil as she spoke to the camera, sitting in front of a yellow and black tapestry. The al-Jazeera newscaster said she appealed for U.S. and Iraqi authorities to free all women prisoners to help “in winning her release.”
At one point, Carroll’s cracking voice can be heard from behind the news reader’s voice. All that can be heard is Carroll saying, “… hope for the families … .”
The U.S. military released the women last Thursday and was believed to be holding about six more. It was unclear how many women were held by Iraqi authorities.
Carroll, a freelance reporter for the Christian Science Monitor, was seized Jan. 7 by the previously unknown Revenge Brigades, which threatened to kill her unless all women prisoners were released.
Al-Jazeera did not report any deadline or threat to kill her Monday.
Al-Jazeera editor Yasser Thabit said the station received the tape Monday and that it was two to three minutes long, but only a fraction of the footage was telecast.
In a statement, the Monitor again appealed for her release.
“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,” the statement said. “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.”
