BOSTON -- We're learning more about the road to freedom for kidnapped reporter Jill Carroll, who was released two weeks ago.

It turns out the former hostage from Massachusetts had an unlikely friend behind enemy lines.

NewsCenter 5's Mary Saladna reported that there were three people Carroll's family specifically thanked for her safe return when she was released from her captors, one of them a sheik who was once one of Saddam Hussein's closest business associates. He says he's now one of the proud leaders of the Iraqi insurgents.

"They are defending their country and they are honest resistancy and sometimes they do mistakes," he said.

He was referring to mistakes such as kidnapping Carroll. In an exclusive ABC News interview, he said he used his influence to help her, even refusing the kidnappers' demands for a huge ransom of $8 million. Instead, at the kidnappers' request, he agreed to arrange payment to widows and orphans of men killed fighting in the resistance. He didn't specify how much, but said he was willing to arrange payment of up to $1 million.

Within a few weeks, the kidnappers contacted him saying Carroll was going to be released. Ten hours later she was free. He said he openly approves of attacks on U.S. soldiers, but not on civilians, including the Iraqi resistance. Despite the violence, he said the insurgents have no trouble getting funding, mostly from private donations from people like himself who want to see a new government with Saddam Hussein back at the helm.

Officials at the Christian Science Monitor, the newspaper for which Carroll was working when she was kidnapped, said it is unaware of any ransom payments made by anyone to secure Carroll's release.