Enzo Baldoni
Encyclopedia
Enzo G. Baldoni was an Italian
journalist working freelance and for the Italian news magazine Diario. He was kidnapped near Najaf
, Iraq, on August 21, 2004, by the "Islamic Army in Iraq", a Muslim fundamentalist terrorist organization, allegedly linked with Al-Qaeda
. His driver-interpreter was killed during the abduction. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3603584.stm
The Islamic Army released a videotape, aired on August 24 by Al Jazeera
, in which it requested the withdrawal of Italian troops
from Iraq in 48 hours. Failure to comply would result in Baldoni's execution. On August 26, Al Jazeera came into possession of a videotape depicting Baldoni's murder. This latter videotape wasn't aired because of its gruesome nature. The existence of this tape is based on claims made by Al Jazeera only. Other sources claim it is only a video frame or a still shot taken with a digital camera
.
He had arrived in Baghdad
only a few weeks earlier and served there also as a Red Cross volunteer. He leaves behind his wife and two children (23 and 25 years old).
Baldoni was born in Città di Castello
, Umbria
. Before becoming a freelance journalist he had founded the advertising agency "Le balene colpiscono ancora" ("The whales strike again") which orchestrated some very successful ad campaigns in Italy. Prior to becoming a successful advertising man he had done many odd jobs like mason (Belgium), gymnastics professor, photographer, interpreter and laboratory technician (chemistry). He was also noted for the Italian translation of Doonesbury
comic strips.
He traveled in many countries without peace including Colombia
, East Timor
, Burma, Mexico
, and Iraq
, reporting his experiences also in his web log
, in which he defined himself as a very curious person interested to understand why people are driven to take up arms against one another. He also said to be very interested in social issues and Zen
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
journalist working freelance and for the Italian news magazine Diario. He was kidnapped near Najaf
Najaf
Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
, Iraq, on August 21, 2004, by the "Islamic Army in Iraq", a Muslim fundamentalist terrorist organization, allegedly linked with Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
. His driver-interpreter was killed during the abduction. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3603584.stm
The Islamic Army released a videotape, aired on August 24 by Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
, in which it requested the withdrawal of Italian troops
Military of Italy
The Italian armed forces are the military of Italy, they are under the command of the Italian Supreme Council of Defence, presided over by the President of the Italian Republic. The total number of active military personnel is 293,202...
from Iraq in 48 hours. Failure to comply would result in Baldoni's execution. On August 26, Al Jazeera came into possession of a videotape depicting Baldoni's murder. This latter videotape wasn't aired because of its gruesome nature. The existence of this tape is based on claims made by Al Jazeera only. Other sources claim it is only a video frame or a still shot taken with a digital camera
Digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...
.
He had arrived in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
only a few weeks earlier and served there also as a Red Cross volunteer. He leaves behind his wife and two children (23 and 25 years old).
Baldoni was born in Città di Castello
Città di Castello
Città di Castello is a city and comune in the province of Perugia, in the northern part of the Umbria region of Italy. It is situated on a slope of the Apennines, on the flood plain of the river Tiber. The city is north of Perugia and south of Cesena on the S3bis. It is connected to the A1...
, Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
. Before becoming a freelance journalist he had founded the advertising agency "Le balene colpiscono ancora" ("The whales strike again") which orchestrated some very successful ad campaigns in Italy. Prior to becoming a successful advertising man he had done many odd jobs like mason (Belgium), gymnastics professor, photographer, interpreter and laboratory technician (chemistry). He was also noted for the Italian translation of Doonesbury
Doonesbury
Doonesbury is a comic strip by American cartoonist Garry Trudeau, that chronicles the adventures and lives of an array of characters of various ages, professions, and backgrounds, from the President of the United States to the title character, Michael Doonesbury, who has progressed from a college...
comic strips.
He traveled in many countries without peace including Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
, Burma, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, reporting his experiences also in his web log
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
, in which he defined himself as a very curious person interested to understand why people are driven to take up arms against one another. He also said to be very interested in social issues and Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
.
External links
- Press freedom groups condemn killing - IFEXInternational Freedom of Expression ExchangeThe International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....