Right-wing bloggers attack freed hostage for 'treason'

Telegraph ^ | 03/04/2006 | Francis Harris

[Lorianne]

The freed American hostage Jill Carroll arrived home after 83 days of captivity in Iraq yesterday - to a barrage of criticism from Right-wingers who accused her of showing too much sympathy for her kidnappers.

But after an emotional reunion with her family in Boston, the 28-year-old freelance correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor spoke of her loathing for the gunmen who threatened her with death "many times" during her ordeal.

She described her captors as "criminals at best" and denied allegations that she had refused to answer questions from the American military.

She also disavowed a video-taped statement made during her captivity and another which was made shortly before American troops arrived to take custody of her.

"Things I was forced to say while captive are being taken by some as an accurate reflection of my personal views," she said. "They are not."

She said that her Iraqi translator, Alan Enwiya, had been murdered at the start of her captivity and that she remained "deeply angry with the people who did this".

Miss Carroll has been under sustained assault from some on the pro-war Right. Bloggers and hosts on the country's influential talk radio stations have attacked her for stating that she had not been threatened during her confinement.

Others attacked her for wearing Muslim dress and the news channel CNN carried an interview suggesting that she was suffering from "Stockholm Syndrome", in which victims begin to sympathise with their captors. One blogger called for Miss Carroll to be arrested for treason.

The terrorists holding her brought members of the Iraqi Islamic Party, a Sunni group, to see her. The Sunnis persuaded her to give a taped interview, which Miss Carroll said she was afraid to refuse.

"Fearing retribution from my captors, I did not speak freely," she said. "Out of fear, I said I had not been threatened. In fact I was threatened many times."

Miss Carroll's captivity has been more widely reported than that of any other American hostage but received considerably less attention than comparable dramas in Britain or Italy. Unlike most Europeans, Americans are convinced that they are at war with a relentless and inhumane enemy.

Miss Carroll's first videotape appeared to contradict that widely-held view and provoked much of the

criticism. The attacks were also stoked by a widespread suspicion among supporters of the war, from the White House downwards, that reporters from "the liberal media" are effectively allying itself with the insurgents.

President George W Bush and his senior officials have strongly implied that, by reporting terrorist "spectaculars" in Iraq while ignoring progress elsewhere in the country, the media have undermined public support at home.

Many Americans also have high expectations about the behaviour of their nationals in perilous situations.

There was widespread shock throughout the country when two Italian women hostages in Iraq, freed in 2004 for a reported $1 million ransom, expressed understanding for the insurgency.

Miss Carroll distanced herself from that kind of sentiment.

"I abhor all who kidnap and murder civilians and my captors are clearly guilty of both crimes," she said.

[Lorianne]

Good grief. Is this a "news" account?

[rawhide]

I say, give the woman a break, please! She has disavowed her statements while in captivity. Let up on her, and let her savor her freedom, and get her life in order.

[Huck]

It's definitely at the point where what we all say here comes with responsibility.

[Echo Talon]

if she doesn't make it sound bad nobody will buy her book.

[MissAmericanPie]

I wonder if it threw people off, or caused them to form an opinion because during her first interview she was wearing Muslim attire. I know it struck a cord with me to see her wearing it.

[MissAmericanPie]

I wonder if it threw people off, or caused them to form an opinion because during her first interview she was wearing Muslim attire. I know it struck a cord with me to see her wearing it.

[endthematrix]

Old media reporting what the New media is thinking is not news - it's pathetic.

[Berlin_Freeper]

"her Iraqi translator, Alan Enwiya, had been murdered at the start of her captivity"


At the very least Jill Carroll has the blood of that man on her hands, because she was advised and offered security by Iraqi and US officials, and she turned them down.

[JoeSixPack1]

I haven't spoken or typed a word ever about this woman or her story.

But I'll go with my gut. My gut says the entire episode as reported is 90% BS.

The only part of this I believe is that her 'translator/companion' was killed.

[sgtbono2002]

I gues we will just have to watch and see what she does now.

If she is smart she wont go near Iraq.

[oolatec]

Man, what else do you people want? Once she felt safe (in Germany) she disavowed her statements, and even stated she despised her kidnappers. I would have done the same thing if I were in her situation, and I would bet 10 out of 10 of you would to. Make them their childish propaganda film if it meant my release, and once I was out of Iraq, spill the beans. This is exactly what she has done, and this whole episode has only discredited Conservative blogs.

Maybe next time people will wait until the issue is resolved before rushing to judge.

[highlander_UW]

One blogger called for Miss Carroll to be arrested for treason.

Wow...they found 1 single person with a conservative viewpoint that calls for her arrest and that's extreme? Guess this writer hasn't bothered to read the Left wing blogs...some call for the assassination of the president...which IS treason.

[dennisw]

Jill Carroll went native years ago. Has lived in Arab countries for years and knows Arabic. She's a smart ass little twit who got in way over her head. She's homely. I'll bet she's had a few Arab boy friends.

But perhaps her kidnapping has shocked her into reality a bit. Changed her mind a bit. She's been saying all the right things for the last few days.

[gleeaikin]

"If she doesn't make it sound bad nobody will buy her book. At her first interview she was wearing muslim dress."

What does it take to satisfy some people? First everbody gives her a hard time because while still a captive, or with the people her captors delivered her to, Sunnis, she protected herself by saying bad things did not happen. Now she is free and able to say the truth, and you say she is trying to make it sound bad so she can sell a book. Well, which is it, BAD or NOT BAD.

She gave her first interview while not in the hands of her captors, at the Sunnit headquarters where they had dropped her off. What was she going to do? Walk up to the Sunnis and say hay, give me some American clothes before I talk to the press? At that point I imagine she was not sure if she was really safe. Do the words "benefit of the doubt" apply here or what?

[Bon mots]

She refused protection from the US in Iraq. So even if she is innocent of collusion with the thugs, she is not the sharpest tool in the shed.

My gut instinct first told me that this woman was like all of the other useful fools in Iraq at best, or like the wackjob Suzanne Osthoff at worst.

(Susanne Osthoff is the German hostage who was ransomed and later found to be in possession of ransom money. Later she did a television interview in Germany dressed up like a taliban bride - covered from head to toe and only her eyes showing.)

German hostage had ransom money

By Kate Connolly in Berlin

A German archaeologist kidnapped in Iraq last year was found on her release to have some of the ransom money paid to her abductors in her possession, according to investigators.

Susanne Osthoff, 43, was released after a month in captivity on Dec 18. While she took a shower in Germany's embassy in Baghdad, officers from the BND, its intelligence service, found "several thousand dollars" fastened with rubber bands in her clothes, according to one of the investigators. Their serial numbers matched those on notes paid to secure her release.

While the German government has refused to comment on whether it paid a ransom, it is widely speculated that the equivalent of £3 million was handed over to secure her freedom.

Politicians and the public were yesterday asking new questions about her ordeal. Many have lost patience with Miss Osthoff, a convert to Islam, since she declared her intention to return to Iraq and failed to thank them for their efforts to free her. Her image at home also suffered after her release when she appeared on the Arabic television channel al-Jazeera, dressed from head to toe in dark clothing, only her eyes visible, prompting speculation she had embraced fundamentalism.

[T.L.Sink]

This comes from a UK newspaper and the story is completely meaningless. Nothing is documented and it's another one of those "anonymous source" tabloid tricks. And what does "blogger" mean? One of the billion who has an internet commentary? If one searches enough blogs he'll find some who swear they've seen Elvis!

[DB]

They've got a grudge against her from her past "reporting" and simply want to take it out on her regardless of the truth.

[Trust but Verify]

Good one, dennis. The next time they won't use a generic right-wing blog account, they can come here and get your 'opinion' and give this site a black eye.

[DB]

I suggest you go read most of the threads about her here. The story is pretty accurate in reflecting many of the opinions posted here.

[RHINO369]

I don't blame her for saying anything while in captivity. In fact I'd say anything they wanted. And I don't blame her for wearing the head dress, 1) It makes her stand out less, making it safer for her, that backfired but ohwell, and 2) She looks much more attractive in it.