Posted on 04/01/2006 1:34:16 PM PST by ricks_place
Former hostage Jill Carroll strongly disavowed statements she had made during captivity in Iraq and shortly after her release, saying Saturday she had been repeatedly threatened.
In a video, recorded before she was freed and posted by her captors on an Islamist Web site, Carroll spoke out against the U.S. military presence. But Carroll said the recording was made under threat. Her editor has said three men were pointing guns at her at the time.
"During my last night in captivity, my captors forced me to participate in a propaganda video. They told me I would be released if I cooperated. I was living in a threatening environment, under their control, and wanted to go home alive. So I agreed," she said in a statement read by her editor in Boston.
"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."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I am inclined to believe her too. So far, I haven't seen a shred of evidence to support the allegations that she staged her abduction.
They lose face if they believe her now. There are too many on this forum that give no room for people to change, and learn. They already indicted her on her first statement while still a captive. Too late for her now. She needed to be waving a US flag and screaming for the death of her captors while her captors were still present.
Obviously all this was taken out of context ..... (sarcasm)
I'm recalling another instance when Americans were forced to say things under duress, but they managed to let the world know their true feelings (the men of the USS Pueblo).
Ya, it is pretty crazy.
It also amazing there are so many here that don't seem to realize that she was a hostage during the earlier video statements she made...
If they threatened to slowly cut my head off while I was in their control I'd believe them. You'd be stupid not to.
Yeah, but the military is trained to give covert signals. For example, like the soldier who was forced to pose with Hillary Clinton. Do you think journalists would stoop so low as to learn something that the stupid babykilling grunts have to use? (sarc.)
No exercise, starchy food?
Unfortunately, there are a few conspiracy loons even at this site. They just need to believe it was a left-wing setup. It's like the people at the DU who see Karl Rove's hand in everything that happens. While the DU is mostly filled with those types, we have a few here too. I say unless some real evidence emerges that this was a setup, there is no reason to attack someone who has obviously been through a lot already.
Gee, give the poor girl a break! She repudiated her comments, and she's been through a trying time. OK, if later she says wierd things, then have at it, but for now, I wish these Freepers would put a lid on it and leave the girl alone.
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 U.S. military and officials have been extremely generous, and I am grateful for their help. Throughout this ordeal, many U.S. 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 of captivity, my captors forced me to participate in a propaganda video. They told me they would be released if I cooperated. I was living in a threatening environment, under their control, and I wanted to go home alive. So 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 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.
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 broadcast or aired on television, and they 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: One, that I refused to travel and cooperate with the U.S. military and two, that I refused to discuss my captivity with U.S. officials. Again, neither statement 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 for my family. Please allow us some quiet time alone, together.
— Jill Carroll
I suspect that she is/was an anti-war "reporter" but at the same time she suffered a pretty traumatic event. Someone was killed right in front of her and she was psychologically tortured. She may even have been physically and sexually assulted as well. Although I doubt the latter because I think mooselim men are all closeted homosexuals, that's why they treat women the way they do.
I think she's been thru the crap and we should ease off of her.
Carroll's mother retired after 30+ years from out local public school district last year. Our district, Plymouth-Canton Schools, is noted for extreme liberal bias. This woman was raised in the People's Republic of Ann Arbor and graduated from the People's University of Michigan. I do not believe for one second that she is playing this situation on the up and up. I am glad she is out alive for her sake, but also because we won't have to listen to the local education aristocracy pontificating about her death at the hands of George Bush.
I don't regret her being alive because I am thankful when anyone doesn't end up being a victim of Islamic madness. I just hope that her youth and ideology doesn't cause her to put herself in the same risk again.
I think thats going way overboard!!!
Sounds believable to me. I think people should back off of this now. If you want to judge her by the articles she writes, fair enough. But I don't think you have any evidence to back up your attacks against her...and this statement should dispel the notion that her kidnapping was a setup and she sympathizes with her captors. Clearly she does not.
She just neutralized what was her propaganda statements. Take that as a victory.
Personally, whether she's a phony or not, who cares. It's really not important. She's a speck on a fly on a horse's a*s.
All these MMQ's who claim they would rather die at the hands of the decapitators rather than say anything against the USA or the war are full of Barbara Streisand.
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