Monologue for Two: Yvonne Ridley
At a time when the world was plunged into a state of unprecedented chaos and uncertainty following the terrorist atrocities in the US, Yvonne faced the ordeal of her life. Captured by the Taliban as she attempted to cross the Afghan border to report on the outbreak of war for the Sunday Express, Yvonne found her life hanging in the balance in the hands of the most reviled regime in the world. During her captivity by Taliban she was asked by one of her captors to convert to Islam; she refused, but gave her word she would read the Quran after her release. Once freed, she kept this promise and read the Quran looking for an explanation of the Taliban's treatment of women, but came to the conclusion there was none. Instead she decided it was "a magna carta for women", saying, "the Quran makes it clear that women are equal in spirituality, worth and education. She converted to Islam in the middle of 2003. Now she is a convert to Islam and a fierce critic of the West.