Journalist evades kidnappers

JANUARY 24, 2006
Posted January 30, 2006

Nagham Abdul-Zahra, Al-Jawra’a

ATTACKED

Abdul-Zahra, a TV presenter working for Iraqi TV channel al-Jawra’a, jumped off her second-floor balcony to escape a kidnapping in southeastern Baghdad.

Five masked gunmen barged into Abdul-Zahra’s apartment and tied up her husband. Abdul-Zahra saw the opportunity to escape by jumping off her balcony when the gunmen were busy checking whether her husband was still tied tightly, she told The Associated Press. She screamed for help and the gunmen fled, leaving her husband unharmed.

Abdul-Zahra, who until end of 2005 presented several variety shows on al-Sharqiya TV, sustained multiple fractures and is recovering in hospital.