Kidnapping of Alan Johnston
| Date | 12 March 2007 |
|---|---|
| Location | Gaza City, the Gaza Strip |
| Participants | Alan Johnston, BBC journalist (kidnapped) |
| Outcome | Released after 114 days in captivity |
| Accused | the Palestinian Army of Islam |
The kidnapping of Alan Johnston, a BBC journalist, by the Palestinian Army of Islam in Gaza City began on 12 March 2007 and lasted for nearly four months (114 days).
His captivity led to many protests in the Palestinian territories, as well as the British government meeting a Hamas member for the first time. On 15 April unconfirmed reports claiming that he had been murdered surfaced, later declared by Palestinian intelligence sources to be false. A tape claiming to be from Johnston's kidnappers surfaced on 8 May, leading to renewed hope that he would soon be released, and three weeks later a Hamas spokesperson spoke of his hope that Johnston would be freed quickly. Johnston then appeared in a video released online by his alleged kidnappers on 1 June.
Hopes were raised for his release in mid-June after Hamas took full control of Gaza and set a deadline for his release, but on 24 June a video of him wearing what he said was an explosive belt was released along with a warning that if attempts were made to rescue him by force it would be detonated. However, on 4 July, Johnston was freed, and left Gaza for Jerusalem.
On 12 March 2007, Johnston's car was found abandoned on a street, shortly after he left his office to drive home. He had entered Gaza from Israel earlier in the day, where he had been for a dental appointment. A business card belonging to Johnston was found at the scene, identifying him as having been in the car, at the time of his kidnapping. The BBC was alerted to his disappearance when he did not make an arranged telephone call.
According to Palestinian police, four armed men were spotted near Johnston's car, and Johnston is believed to have been abducted at gunpoint. A state of emergency was declared with checkpoints set up to find Johnston, who was in the final weeks of his posting to Gaza, where he had been stationed for three years.
There were some reports that negotiations had begun to try to secure Johnston's release, although the BBC strenuously emphasised that it could not independently verify reports that Johnston had been kidnapped. A week after his disappearance, the BBC admitted that it seemed certain now that he had been kidnapped.
...
Wikipedia