|
USA News Freed US journalist 'manipulated'
The US journalist released after being held hostage
in Iraq for three months has distanced herself from comments published
straight after her release. Jill Carroll said she had been forced to
make a "propaganda video" on her last night in captivity. Speaking at
a US base in Germany, Ms Carroll also said she did not speak freely in
an Iraqi TV interview, which she was told would never be broadcast.
She called her captors "criminals, at best" saying she was often
threatened.
In a statement read to the media by the editor of the
Christian Science Monitor, the US newspaper she reported for before
her capture, Ms Carroll said she no longer stood by remarks she made
on her release. "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 co-operated. I was living in a threatening environment,
under their control, and wanted to go home alive. So I agreed."
'Fear of retribution': Ms Carroll was kidnapped and her translator
was killed in west Baghdad on 7 January. She was freed on 30 March and
was dropped off at the offices of the Iraqi Islamic Party. In her
statement on Saturday she accused the group of breaking an agreement
not to broadcast an interview recorded after her release. "The party
had promised me the interview would never be aired on television, and
broke their word," she said. "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." In the interview,
Ms Carroll, 28, had said her captors treated her "very well" and did
not hit her. In Germany, however, the freelance reporter was much more
direct. "The people who kidnapped me and murdered Alan Enwiya are
criminals, at best," the statement read. "They robbed Alan of his life
and devastated his family. They put me, my family and my friends - and
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." |
Tom DeLay has said he will not be seeking re-election to the House of Representatives
Photo: Mr. DeLay's decision has not been formally confirmed. Former top Republican Tom DeLay has said he will not be seeking re-election to the House of Representatives in November, according to US news reports. Mr. DeLay, who is expected to announce his plans on Tuesday, is said to be likely to resign his seat and leave Congress by the end of May or mid-June. The 58-year-old is accused of laundering corporate contributions for use in Republican campaigns in Texas. He has strongly denied the charges in a case which has yet to go to trial. News of Mr. DeLay's decision came late in the evening. It has not been formally confirmed but several of the former Republican leader's closest allies have said they have spoken to Mr. DeLay and he has told them he is going. 'Innocent of wrongdoing': Mr. DeLay has been destroyed by corruption allegations against him and admitted corruption by his senior staff. Just days ago his former deputy chief of staff pleaded guilty to corruption, saying he ran a criminal enterprise out of Mr. DeLay's office. Mr. DeLay was facing a tough re-election fight in November and he has apparently concluded that he would not win. The decision throws the spotlight on Republican Party corruption in a manner which will certainly do the party no good. The White House is not directly involved, though late last year President Bush said he believed Mr. DeLay was innocent of any wrongdoing. Mr. Bush may now regret his decision to be so supportive. -By J. Web
|
Photo:
Jill Carroll appeared happy on arrival at the Ramstein base.