Imagine a kidnapping on the streets of Baghdad. Three months in captivity living with Iraqi insurgents. A concentrated effort in Boston, Washington, the Mideast and elsewhere, to win freedom for a captured journalist. Now hear what was actually happening during those 82 days.
To help tell the story of the time Jill was held hostage, the Monitor interviewed her, her family, and her colleagues. Jill and the others share their experiences in short video clips, and talk about mujahideen families, governmental red tape, cultural sensitivity, media exposure, despair, and - through it all - hope.
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Why is Christian Science in our name?
Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The Christian Science Church, and we’ve always been transparent about that.
The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. Since 1908, we’ve aimed “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind,” as our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, put it.
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Multimedia
PART 1 | THE KIDNAPPING
Jill Carroll: The strange situation of a cancelled interview (1:20) [Play]
Jill Carroll: The abduction (2:27) [Play]
Jill Carroll: 'Were you a target? Or a victim of opportunity?' (1:31) [Play]
Jim Carroll: Jill's father finds out she has been kidnapped (1:42) [Play]
Katie Carroll: Jill's sister copes with the news of her twin's abduction (0:53) [Play]
'Team Jill': The Monitor newsroom springs into action (2:02) [Play]
Jill Carroll: Speeding away from the scene (1:27) [Play]
Jill Carroll: 'Maybe they didn't mean to get me alive' (1:15) [Play]
Scott Peterson: 'Goosebumps' - The Monitor reporter talks about finding out (1:48) [Play]
Jill Carroll: Channel surfing with the mujahideen (1:02) [Play]
Jill Carroll: Jill is taken to a really humble house 'out in the weeds' (0:43) [Play]
Jill Carroll: The second house (2:02) [Play]
Jill Carroll: Being interrogated by the mujahideen (0:48) [Play]
Jill Carroll: The mujahideen's rules of engagement (1:19) [Play]
Jill Carroll: Choking down food to seem grateful (1:15) [Play]
Jill Carroll: The fear of being killed and dealing with Alan's death (1:00) [Play]
Jill Carroll Q&A
After Jill was released, the Monitor invited readers to send in their questions about her experience. Hundreds of people responded, and Jill sat down in front of the camera with Monitor correspondent Peter Grier, to share her thoughts and responses.
Podcasts
You can listen to an audio version of "Hostage: The Jill Carroll Story" on your computer or MP3 player. Purchase any part in the series, individually, or all of them from Audible.com.
Image galleries
View slideshows of photographs taken during the time Jill was held hostage, including public appeals for her to be freed, through her happy reunion with her family.