Kidnapped BBC journalist Alan Johnston has appeared in a frightening new video, saying he is wearing a bomb belt that his Gaza captors will detonate if there is any attempt to rescue him.
The short video, released by the Palestinian extremists who have been holding the British journalist for 105 days, was provided to Agence France-Presse by the private United States-based IntelCentre and has been condemned by the BBC and Foreign Office.
”As you can see I’ve been dressed in what is an explosive belt, which the kidnappers say will be detonated if there’s any attempt to storm this area,” says Johnston, wearing a number of packages strapped around his chest.
”They say they are ready to turn the hideout into what they describe as a death zone if there’s an attempt to free me by force,” he added, pale and forlorn-looking, dressed in a long-sleeved red shirt.
The award-winning journalist has been held far longer than any other Westerner in the Gaza Strip since he was kidnapped at gunpoint on March 12 while driving home from the office in the increasingly volatile territory.
The Virginia-based IntelCentre said the group released the one minute, 42 second video, which they called Alan’s Appeal.
”Captors tell me that very promising negotiations were ruined when the Hamas movement and the British government decided to press for a military solution to this kidnapping and the situation is now very serious,” Johnston said.
”I do appeal to the Hamas movement and the British government not, not to resort to the tactics of force in an effort to end this,” added the 45-year-old journalist speaking calmly and betraying no fear or strong emotion.
”I would ask the BBC and anyone in Britain who wishes me well to support me in that appeal. It seems the answer is to return to negotiations, which I’m told are very close to achieving a deal.”
The British Foreign Office condemned the release of the second video of Johnston this month as the BBC appealed for his immediate release, saying it was very distressing for family and colleagues to see him threatened.
”My family and I are obviously most concerned and distressed at this latest development,” Johnston’s father, Graham, was quoted by the BBC as saying.
”We condemn the continued release of videos like this, which can only add to the distress of Alan Johnston’s family and friends,” the Foreign Office said.
The existence of the video was initially made known by sacked Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya on Sunday, who demanded a halt to his ordeal.
”This must stop, it cannot continue like this,” he said, without explaining where or when he had seen the video released by the fringe Army of Islam group.
Hamas has repeatedly said it was working to release Johnston and had even raised hopes soon after the radical Islamist movement captured control of the entire Gaza Strip in a bloody take over that he could be released imminently.
There had been no word on Johnston’s condition since the Army of Islam released an undated video on June 1, showing the BBC journalist reassuring his audience that he had been well treated.
Johnston, an experienced reporter who had been based in Gaza City for three years, was the only Western journalist still based permanently in the Palestinian territory when he was snatched.
The Army of Islam want the release of Abu Qatada, a Palestinian-born cleric, once labelled al-Qaeda’s spiritual leader in Europe, who is held in Britain, and have previously threatened to kill Johnston if their demands are not met.
Johnston’s plight has sparked rallies and messages of support from all over the world and an online petition calling for his release has been signed by more than 170 000 people. — Sapa-AFP