Posted on 07/03/2007 6:05:25 PM PDT by bnelson44
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Kidnapped British reporter Alan Johnston has been released after nearly four months in captivity in the Gaza Strip, Hamas said Wednesday. Johnston was not seen after the announcement.
The release was announced by the Islamic militant group's TV and confirmed in a text message from Hamas to The Associated Press.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
The release was announced by the Islamic militant group’s TV and confirmed in a text message from Hamas to The Associated Press.
There were no further immediate details.
Hamas had demanded Johnston’s freedom since it violently seized control of Gaza last month, in an apparent bid to gain favor with the West.
On Tuesday, Hamas gunmen took positions around the stronghold of the shadowy group holding Johnston, stepping up the pressure to secure his release.
Johnston was kidnapped from a Gaza City street on March 12, spending far more time in captivity than any Western journalist abducted in Gaza. Hamas had said it knew where to find him, but has not raided the hideout for fear he would come to harm.
Members of Hamas’ 6,000-strong militia moved onto rooftops of high-rise buildings on Tuesday and deployed gunmen in streets in the Gaza City neighborhood inhabited by the Doghmush clan. The large, heavily armed family leads the Army of Islam, a little known group that has been holding Johnston.
“The clocks have begun ticking toward the release of Alan Johnston,” said Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad. “The operation of the interior ministry Executive Forces has started, and they are tightening the siege on the people involved in his kidnap.”
I see the AP is using it's best sources.
Brown’s domestic surrender is being rewarded??
What wonderful news for him and his family.
Hmmmmmm
So how do we know he was released?
I'm calling B.S. on thin one.
On Tuesday, Hamas gunmen took positions around the stronghold of the shadowy group holding Johnston, stepping up the pressure to secure his release.
It sounds too phony. Hamas demanding his release? The Beeb reporter was a willing guest, and after four months finally got tired of it.
I agree. They tried to milk it, but the public didn't really care. Johnson and his buddies in Hamas got tired and decided it was time to go home.
BBC TV has apparently now shown new pictures of him being released in Gaza.
Does anyone believe that he was in any danger? He is the best friend that Palestinians have in the Western media, and one of Israel’s biggest enemies. They should have kept him he would have been fine.
The BBC has some close ties with Hamas, see:
http://hotair.com/archives/2007/06/26/dog-bites-man-hamas-member-moonlighting-as-bbc-reporter/
Great news! I was afraid those animals would claim another victim.
Hamas text messages AP...hahaha
I’m sure this has nothing to do with Hamas now trying to score points with the MSM after their murder rampage last week.
You know, if a REALLY SMART IDF GUY could locate the blackberry signal using triangulation...
Good.
The daily blubbering over this guy on the BBC World Service was getting tiresome.
I suppose he’s lucky to have his head still attached.
Hamas was merely freeing one of their best journalistic allies and trying to throw a crumb to the infidel west.
I’m glad when any non-terrorist stays alive, but let’s not have any illusions — there’s a reason this guy was the “last western reporter operating in Gaza” and it’s not because of his objectivity or sympathies with Israel or the USA. He is a useful tool for Hamas and they did not want to see such a precious journalistic asset go to waste.
Did he convert to Islam?
It doesn’t look like it. It looks like it was some kind of hostage exchange between Hamas and this al-Qaeda outfit. Hamas has a pretty cordual relationship with the BBC and get a lot of good press from that outfit. Looks like a win-win-win situation for al-Qaeda (who got some of thier own prisoners freed and will not be hunted by Hamas), Hamas (who got some of their own prisoners freed and some good BBC press), and the BBC who got their reporter back
get ready for the Islam’s version of the Stockholm Syndrome
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