Representatives of the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations have appealed for the release of kidnapped American journalist Jill Carroll.
In Baghdad Saturday, an official with the influential Islamic group called on Carroll's abductors to release her unharmed. In an earlier statement, the group said the 28-year-old journalist has a well-documented record of objective reporting and respect for both the Iraqi people and Arab-Islamic culture.
There still is no word on the journalist's fate, following a threat by her kidnappers to execute her Friday unless all eight female detainees in American custody in Iraq were released.
Meanwhile, a militant group has kidnapped the son of a senior Iraqi Defense Ministry official. In a videotape shown on al-Arabiya (Saturday), kidnappers threatened to kill the son of Brigadier-General Sabah Abd al-Karim unless Iraqi security forces stop cooperating with U.S.-led coalition troops in Iraq.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.