Muslim leaders condemn abduction

Correction: Because of a reporting error, a story in yesterday's World pages about Muslim leaders condemning the kidnapping of American journalist Jill Carroll misstated where the Arabic-language news network Al-Jazeera is based. It is headquartered in Qatar.

A Sunni Arab leader and several Muslim clerics condemned the kidnapping of American journalist Jill Carroll, according to a statement released yesterday by the Boston-based Christian Science Monitor, where Carroll does freelance work.

Carroll, 28, a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, was taken by gunmen Jan. 7 while attempting to interview an Iraqi politician. Carroll's translator was shot.

Carroll's holders sent a tape two days ago to Iraqi news network Al-Jazeera, telling American forces to release all female Iraqi prisoners within three days in exchange for Carroll's life.

One leader called the kidnapping un-Islamic.

''Publish this statement on my behalf condemning this act, although it's going to expose me to danger," said Adnan al-Dulaimi, head of the Iraqi Accordance Front, by telephone from Kuwait to the Christian Science Monitor. ''We reject this act."

The Monitor also said that Muthana Harith al-Dari, a leader of Iraq's Muslim Scholars Association, an umbrella group for a number of Sunni clerics, appeared on Al Sharqiya television in Iraq to ask for Carroll's release.

''This journalist is one of the antioccupation journalists," Dari told the television audience. ''In a recent story, she focused on the violations performed by government security forces against civilians. So, [it's possible] that the occupiers might not be far removed from responsibility for this event."

Journalists unveil the truth, Dari said, so it doesn't make sense to kidnap them.

''Release her in order to allow her to go back to work and participate in uncovering the real reasons for the American occupation in Iraq and the violations against its people," he said.

Essam al-Eryan and Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood's Guidance Office in Cairo, urged an immediate release in a statement. ''We . . . appeal to the kidnappers of the American journalist Jill Carroll to release her as lives of innocent civilians -- Iraqi or foreign -- should be well-guarded," they wrote.

The Washington, D.C., based Council on American-Islamic Relations said it would send a delegation to Baghdad to call for Carroll's freedom.

Agence France-Presse reported late yesterday that six out of eight detained Iraqi women would be freed pending a review of their individual cases.

Adrienne P. Samuels can be reached at asamuels@globe.com.