Enzo Baldoni

Enzo G. Baldoni (October 8, 1948 – August 26, 2004) was an Italian journalist working freelance and for the Italian news magazine Diario before being kidnapped and killed in captivity as captured on video by his captors. Baldoni was one of two Italians kidnapped in Iraq.

Baldoni was born in Città di Castello, Umbria.

He had arrived in Baghdad only a few weeks before his kidnapping and death and served there also as a Red Cross volunteer. He left behind his wife and two children (23 and 25 years old).

Before becoming a freelance journalist he had worked for 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 was kidnapped near Najaf, Iraq, 19 August 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.

The Islamic Army released a videotape, aired on August 24 by Al Jazeera, in which it demanded 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.