One of the most prominent Islamic scholars in the Muslim world, has spoken out against the kidnapping of Rory Carroll.
Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi said he had "always maintained that such acts are rejected in Islam", and that "they inflict enormous harm on Iraq's just cause".
He said the Union of Islamic Scholars, which he leads, "has always denounced these kidnappings especially those carried out against journalists.
He said they risked their lives to provide the world's public opinion with information that would not otherwise be readily available due to the sanctions imposed by the occupation authorities on the freedom of reporting.
The sheikh called for the immediate release of Mr Carroll.
"The Guardiannewspaper is well known for its professional reporting and its fair coverage of the rights of oppressed peoples and just causes around the world," he added.