Alleged Carroll kidnapper arrested

BAGHDAD, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. military officials say they have arrested the alleged mastermind behind the 2006 Iraq kidnapping of journalist Jill Carroll.

Salim Abdallah Ashur al-Shujayri, also known as Abu Uthman, was captured Aug. 11 by coalition forces in Baghdad. They describe him as al-Qaida's top figure in Baghdad's eastern Rusafa district, The Times of London reported Monday.

"He is believed to be the planner behind the kidnapping of American journalist Jill Carroll," a statement said, referring to The Christian Science Monitor reporter who was taken hostage at gunpoint Jan. 7, 2006, after her interpreter was killed. Carroll was released nearly three months later.

U.S. officials say associates of Shujayri were involved in the October 2004 kidnapping and killing of aid worker Margaret Hassan, and the November, 2005 kidnapping of four Christian peacemakers. One of them, American Tom Fox, was killed before his British and Canadian colleagues were rescued by Special Forces in March 2006.