Three days after her kidnappers’ stated deadline for her execution passed, all is quiet on the Jill Carroll front.
While her father pleads for her life to be spared, the Associated Press reports that U.S. and Iraqi authorities continue to conduct “joint operations in an intensive effort” to free Carroll, who has not been heard from since her captors released a videotape which first aired last Tuesday.
But while their reaction is muted at the moment, somber bloggers — like concerned journalists the world over — are still holding out hope for the release of Carroll, the 28-year-old freelance reporter for the Christian Science Monitor abducted Jan. 7 in Baghdad.
“The group of insurgents that captured her are asking for the release of all Iraqi women prisoners,” posted Wil’s Stuff v2.0 late last night. “Currently I have been unable to find any updates as to whether or not she was released. I am hoping that tomorrow morning I will awaken to the headline ‘American Journalist, Jill Carroll Released!’ I shall remain hopeful and pray for her safety. If anyone happens to find out anything, please, let me know.”
“Like many of you, I’m waiting for some good news about Jill Carroll, the kidnapped journalist on assignment for the Christian Science Monitor,” added Editor Cheri Matthews, pointing readers toward a “Jill Carroll update” page the Monitor has posted on its Web site. Farris 411, who thinks “that many writers and editors [are doing] an excellent job covering the facts of the story without getting too caught up in relating to the story,” found herself particularly affected yesterday after reading one article on the Monitor’s site in which Carroll’s father James pleaded, “Do not sacrifice an innocent soul. Instead,...
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re. Jill Caroll's nightmare + freelance risks
LIVING IN THE DANGER ZONE
by Michael Hammerschlag
From 1991-1994 I was a reporter in Russia, as the Soviet Empire ripped apart; living mostly as a Russian, and immersed in a very foreign culture. The day I arrived, Chechnya declared independence- within 2 months the Soviet Union would collapse into 14 Republics, the Cold War would officially end, the Communist Party would be banned, Gorbachev would be tossed out of the Kremlin by Yeltsin on Christmas Day, prices would go up 4 fold in 2 weeks, 26 fold by the end of 1992, and I would be kidnapped at gunpoint by Mafiya goons in St. Petersburg, driven in the woods, and stripped of everything but my life… and that was… negotiable. The leader was a dead ringer for German actor Klaus Maria Brandauer (Out of Africa)- one trusts movie stars, and every Russian wanted to drag you home to food, drink, and family- Americans were near royalty in the euphoria over their sudden freedom.
After that, I went incognito, dressed in a ratty coat, didn’t speak English or admit I was American, and claimed to be Polish or Baltic if pressed. Security was dominant- and safety lay in anonymity. Until Iraq, the former Soviet Union was the most dangerous place in the world for journalists- contract murders and attacks by beatings, ax, or acid… were common by Mafiya, businessmen, or government people enraged at reporters' stories. Radio Free Europe counted 120 dead journalists from 1992-2001
LINK: http://hammernews.com/dangerzone.htm
Sincerely,
Michael Hammerschlag
http://HAMMERNEWS.com
Posted by mkham on Thu 26 Jan 2006 at 03:22 AM