First days of freedom

Wednesday, March 29

• On what turned out to be the last night of her captivity, Jill Carroll's captors tell her to make a propaganda video, promising that she will be released if she cooperates. They begin the video but the camera loses battery power.

Thursday, March 30

• Her captors finish the video in the morning.

• A few hours later, she is dropped off at a branch office of the Iraqi Islamic Party. Her captors have threatened her against cooperating with American officials, vowing that they have thoroughly infiltrated the Green Zone. Party officials take her to their headquarters.

• Party officials videotape an interview of Jill, promising it is for their records only. Still wearing the traditional clothes given to her by her captors, she says they had not threatened her.

• She places her first calls to family members, telling them she has been freed.

• US military arrives to take her to the Green Zone in Baghdad. She is briefly reluctant to join the convoy, afraid of retaliation by the kidnappers. She is reassured by a Monitor colleague over the phone.

• Videotape is played on Baghdad TV of her interview by officials of the Iraqi Islamic Party.

• The propaganda video completed just before her release appears on a jihadi website.

• Jill receives a medical checkup.

Friday, March 31

• Jill is debriefed throughout the day by military and government officials. Preparations get under way to leave Iraq.

Saturday, April 1

• Jill flies with companions on military transport to Ramstein Air Base in Germany. She spends the day resting, catching up on news, and talking to family.

• Jill issues statement responding to speculation that her comments in earlier videos reflected her political views. She says statements were made under duress.

Sunday, April 2

• She arrives midday in Boston and is reunited privately with her father, Jim; her mother, Mary Beth; and her sister, Katie.