The Guardian's Iraq correspondent, Rory Carroll, is missing after being kidnapped by gunmen in Baghdad. Carroll, 33, an experienced foreign correspondent, had been conducting an interview in the city with a victim of Saddam Hussein's regime. He had been preparing an article for today's paper on the opening of the former dictator's trial yesterday.
Carroll, who was accompanied by two drivers and a translator, was confronted by the gunmen as he left the house where he had been carrying out the interview. He and one of the drivers were bundled into cars. The driver was released about 20 minutes later.
Carroll has been in Iraq since January. He volunteered for the assignment and his coverage has been critical of the US-led coalition. Before Iraq, he had been the paper's correspondent in Africa, based in Johannesburg, since 2002. In the previous three years he had been based in Rome, where he covered the aftermath of the Kosovo war.
He was born in Dublin, attended university there and worked for various Irish papers before moving to London. He has an Irish passport. The Irish government was last night in contact with its embassies throughout the Middle East to try to secure help in finding him.
Alan Rusbridger, the Guardian's editor, said: "We're deeply concerned at Rory's disappearance. He is in Iraq as a professional journalist - and he's a very good, straight journalist whose only concern is to report fairly and truthfully about the country. We urge those holding him to release him swiftly - for the sake of his family and for the sake of anyone who believes the world needs to be kept fully informed about events in Iraq today."
Fears over Guardian journalist
Below is a selection of recent articles written by Rory Carroll:
Rory Carroll, the Guardian: Patient Shias file in to end centuries of exclusion (January 31 2005)
Rory Carroll, the Guardian: Reporters at risk (September 12 2005)
Rory Carroll, the Guardian: A slow rebirth for Baghdad the beautiful (April 9 2005)
Rory Carroll, the Guardian: As politicians wrestle with Iraq's future, citizens worry about the present (August 13 2005)
Rory Carroll, the Guardian: Cola wars as Coke moves on Baghdad (July 5 2005)
Rory Carroll, the Guardian: Bubbles of Kabul (April 20 2005)
Rory Carroll, the Guardian: For once, families in Baghdad phone to check on loved ones in Britain (July 9 2005)
