Friday, March 31, 2006 News 3 Search continues 0 for local canine serial killer Opinion 4 Sports 8 Andrew Bielak: Don't Cut Americorps Softball opens Big Ten season C V N ...TTS, PAGE 5 One-hundred-sixteen years of editorialfreedom --- - ----------------- www.michk-andaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXVI, No. 103 o2006 The Michigan Daily A2 native Carroll released After 82 days in captivity in Iraq, Christian Science Monitor journalist released BAGHDAD (AP) - Her room was tiny, with a small adjoining bathroom and shower. She couldn't hear any sounds from outside. And the windows were frosted and covered with drapes. On one occasion in Jill Carroll's 82 days in cap- tivity, the kidnappers brought her a newspaper. On another, they let her watch a little television. She had little idea what was going on in the outside world. Still, she says, "It's important people know that I - was not harmed." The 28-year-old Ameri- can reporter's hostage ordeal ended around mid- day yesterday when she was left on a Baghdad street in front of a Sunni politi- cal party office. Wearing a green Islamic head scarf and a gray Iraqi robe, Car- roll walked inside. Carroll She was then driven 20 minutes to party headquarters, 0' where she called her family and gave an interview to Baghdad Television before being handed over to U.S. authorities. Carroll, a freelancer for The Christian Science Monitor, appeared composed and eager to talk. Although her captors issued televised threats 0 to kill Carroll if American forces did not release women prisoners, she said: "They never said they would hit me, never threatened me in any way." Carroll, who grew up in Ann Arbor and attended Huron High School, said she did not know who her kidnappers were, where she was held or why she was set free. Shortly before she was released, the jour- nalist said, "They just came to me and said, 'OK, we're letting you go now.' That's all." The U.S. ambassador said there was no ransom paid by the American embassy, but his remarks left open the question of whether "arrangements" were made by others. None of the kidnappers was cap- tured, he said. In the interview, Carroll seemed well and ani- mated and spoke in a strong voice. She frequently tucked her hair under her headscarf, and appeared excited to be free nearly three months after she was ambushed and her translator killed. Carroll's father Jim, standing on the porch of his home in Chapel Hill, N.C., said he was asleep when the phone rang at about 6 a.m. "Hi, Dad. This is Jill. I'm released," the voice on the other end said. "Obviously we are thrilled and relieved that she has been released," he said. Near Chicago, the reporter's mother, Mary Beth * Carroll, said she was trying to figure out travel plans so she could hug her daughter again. "We're thrilled,' she told The Associated Press. Carroll's release came a day after her twin, Katie, pleaded on Arab television for her freedom. Yester- day, the sisters also spoke by phone. "She called me because she remembered my number. I was dreaming that this would be the way I'd find out - that she'd call me in the middle of the night like this," Katie said, according to the Moni- tor. "She sounded great. I just want to thank every- one who's prayed and given us support through this time, and we're obviously looking forward to some private time with Jill." President Bush said he rejoiced at the news. "I'm just really grateful she was released," he said. He thanked those "who worked so hard for her release. I'm glad she's alive." With Carroll's release there are no more foreign journalists held hostage in Iraq, but two Iraqi jour- nalists kidnapped on Feb. I are still being held. Carroll was abducted Jan. 7 in Baghdad's western Adil neighborhood while going to interview Sunni See CARROLL, page 7 2006 NIT FINALS - MICHIGAN 64 COCKBLOCKED Coke sets up audit Activists claim the involvement of a Coke employee in the organization investigating nullifies its independence By Jeremy Davidson Daily News Editor In an attempt to satisfy demands for a third-party audit of its labor practices in Colombia, the Coca- Cola Company has requested that the International Labor Organization undertake an independent investigation last week. The ILO, an arm of the United Nations that upholds internationally recognized human and labor rights, has agreed to do the investigation. Student and global activists, though, said the cred- ibility of the investigation is dubious at best because one of the ILO's members is a high-ranking Coca- Cola employee. Ed Potter, the U.S. employer representative to the ILO, also serves as Coke's director of global relations. Terry Collingsworth, an attorney representing the Colombian union workers, vehemently rejected the credibility of the investigation in a written state- ment, arguing that Potter's presence on the ILO is a blatant conflict of interest. "The U.S. employer representative is a very powerful and influential position within the ILO," Collingsworth wrote. "In short, Coca-Cola won't agree to any process it can't control." Today marks the passing of one of the University's original deadlines for the company outlined nine months ago. Coke was supposed to have completed an independent audit by today. This was the first deadline since Dec. 31, when Coke was supposed to have agreed in writing to an independent audit. Because it didn't, the University suspended purchasing of Coca-Cola products. The University said then it would resume its pur- chasing of Coke if the independent investigations got back on track. Peggy Norgren, the University's associate vice president for finance, said the investigation seems credible to her. The University is still considering whether to accept the ILO review, she said. Members of the Coalition to Cut the Contracts with Coca-Cola voiced concerns over the legitimacy' of the proposed investigation. RC senior Ashwini Hardikar said she disagrees with the investigation because of Potter's involve- ment, and because it does not address Coke's alleged violations in India. Coca-Cola spokeswoman Kari Bjorhus defended the investigation's credibility. "I can't imagine another authority that is more credible or has higher integrity than the Internation- al Labor Organization of the U.N.;' Bjorhus said. Coalition members plan to meet with Norgren today to share their concerns about the investigation and dis- cuss the University's future plans for dealing with Coke. RC sophomore Adri Miller said communication between students and the administration will be vital to ensuring that Coke is held to the standards of the Vendor Code of Conduct. "We want to know what's been going on regard- ing Coke and the administration," Miller said. Miller emphasized that the student movement would not end because of any action the company takes short of remedying the wrongs it has perpetu- ated around the world. Hardikar echoed Miller's sentiments. "Regardless of whether or not they agree on an independent investigation, until the people in Tur- key, Colombia, India and Indonesia themselves feel that justice has been served, we don't think the contracts should be renewed," she said. FOREST CASEY/Daily Daniel Horton almost loses the ball at last night's NIT final against the University of South Carolina Gamecocks at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Gamecocks defended the NIT championship crown with a 76-64 victory. Gamecocks best Cagers Seniors miss chance to win second NIT in three years By Scott Bell Daily Sports Editor NEW YORK - The journey had reached its final day, but like nearly everything else the team has encoun- tered, Michigan just couldn't finish the way it wanted to. "It's tough to come this far and not get the win;' said senior Chris Hunter as he sat in the nearly silent locker room with his head down. "But at the same time, it's tough to know that I won't be able to compete with these guys again." Hunter and his senior teammates had a chance to end their careers on a high note by winning their second NIT cham- pionship in three years. But a roadblock in the form of South Carolina ended all hopes of a happy ending. The Game- cocks' quickness and efficient shooting proved to be too much for the Wolver- ines, and South Carolina claimed its sec- ond straight NIT Championship, 76-64, in Madison Square Garden last night. "I'm hurt, obviously - we lost a championship game in a tournament that was very important to us," said an emotional Daniel Horton, who scored a team-high 18 points in his final game for Michigan. "I think we left it all on the court as far as it being our last game. We came up short, but like I've always said, everything doesn't always go your way." Michigan had been on a mission ever since losing seven of its final nine games to end the regular season. After his team was left out of the NCAA Tourna- ment, Michigan coach Tommy Amaker See NIT FINAL, page 7 r 'U' construction given OK Despite reports that lawmakers might freeze some construction, Legislature approves three projects By Kelly Fraser Daily Staff Reporter Dentist alum becomes missionary Bay City dentist gives up successful practice, sells possessions By Joolle Dodge Daily Staff Reporter BAY CITY - School of Dentistry alum James King, now 56, wanted to be a dentist since he was 12 years old. He wrote reports on dentistry at school and worked in several dentist's offices in high school. What he never imagined was living in a developing nation, serving as a mis- sionary dentist. request for dentists in Kenya. Kenya has all the necessary tools and equipment, but not enough dentists. The population of Kenya is 30 million, but it produces only A L U 12 to 16 dental students each year. King spent the next four years doing dental work on orphans across Kenya. After graduating from the University 1974, King spent a year working as a clinical PROI instructor and then started a private practice in Bay City. Seve King and his wife, Stepha- semet nie, started attending Bible 8 and they had to pay their own way. King said he knew it was God's plan that he serve in Kenya because of how quickly he and his wife M N I were able to raise funds. They began fundraising in May of 1998 so they could leave in August. They made the deadline. The Kings picked up and moved to Africa. They were based out of Nairobi, 1 E but King spent a lot of time traveling to orphanages th in a across the country, two of er-long which were orphanages for ies children with AIDS. He Two tense weeks after reports that the state Legislature's Joint Capital Outlay Committee might halt several University construction proj- ects, the committee approved three proposals without incident yesterday. The committee is cracking down on a law dating back to the 1960s requiring state uni- versities and colleges to submit proposals F n :st+ ,eri