An American reporter who’s held hostage in Iraq is being threatened with death.

An Arab television channel has aired a silent 20-second videotape of Christian Science Monitor reporter Jill Carroll.

It said an accompanying message gives the United States 72 hours to free female prisoners in Iraq or the journalist would be killed.

Al-Jazeera would not tell The Associated Press who provided the tape, but it did issue a statement itself calling for Carroll's release.

The 28-year-old freelance reporter has not been heard from since she was grabbed Jan 7 in one of Baghdad's most dangerous neighborhoods.