Last update - 00:00 09/05/2007
Palestinian group demands Qaida man's release for BBC reporter
By Haaretz Service and the Associated Press
In a statement posted on an Al-Qaida-linked Web site, a shadowy Palestinian militant group - the Army of Islam - said Wednesday that it is holding kidnapped British reporter Alan Johnston - posting a photo of his identity card - and demanded the release of a militant Islamic cleric being held in a U.K. jail.
If verified, the recording would be the first time Johnston's captors have made public demands and provided new signs that Al-Qaida is making inroads in the Gaza Strip.
Johnston, a 44-year-old British Broadcasting Corporation correspondent, was kidnapped on March 12 in Gaza City and has not been seen or heard from since. There were claims by a previously unknown group that he was killed, but no proof was ever provided.
In the recording, the Army of Islam demanded the British government "release our prisoners and particularly Sheik Abu Qatada the Palestinian in exchange for Johnston."
A copy of the recording also was left at the Gaza City office of the Al-Jazeera satellite channel, though it did not broadcast the tape.
The recording, which includes audio and photographs, shows a large picture of Johnston's BBC press card - the strongest evidence yet that the Army of Islam is actually holding the journalist. However, the tape did not include any signs of life from Johnston himself, such as footage or recordings of his voice.
Although the Army of Islam's claim could not be verified, the same group - which has loose ties to Hamas and other militant groups - was involved in the capture last June of Israel Defense Forces soldier, Corporal Gilad Shalit.
It is headed by members of a powerful Gaza clan, the Doghmushes, widely believed responsible for several kidnappings of foreigners in Gaza. A family member tied to the group declined comment.
The recording was posted on a Web site often used by Al-Qaida and its branch in Iraq to post messages. Other militant groups also have used the site, though it is rarely used by Palestinian militants.
The 20-minute recording includes a fiery diatribe against the West, posting a slideshow that includes images from the war in Iraq, Muslim prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, and Westerns soldiers praying before a cross. Islamic music
plays in the background, and pictures glorifying Abu Qatada are repeatedly shown.
"It is a must for Muslims to mobilize against this vicious crusade against Islam's nation... and throughout this war and actions, we will not sit idly watching our Muslim brothers being tortured with the worse torture inside the
infidels' prisons. Thus we have managed to take the Briton Alan Johnston as a prisoner."
Israeli and Palestinian security officials have warned in recent months that they fear Al-Qaida is trying to infiltrate the Gaza Strip, though the extent of the inroads remains unclear.
The large Palestinian militant groups, such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have said their struggle is only against Israel, and not against the West.
Abu Qatada, a Jordanian of Palestinian origin, is accused of having links to terrorist groups, and is currently awaiting deportation to Jordan from Britain.
In a statement, the BBC said it was aware of the tape. We have no comment on the demands made of the British Government in the tape. "We remain concerned for Alan's well-being and call for his immediate release."
A spokeswoman for the British Foreign Office said the government wanted to review the tape before commenting on its contents.
"A video such as this is very distressing to Alan's family, friends and colleagues. We are of course in constant contact with his family and the BBC. We are looking into this as a matter of urgency, in particular we are continuing to work closely with the Palestinian Authority in order to establish the facts and to try and secure Alan's safe release, the spokeswoman said."
The tape was released hours after a senior British diplomat met with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh to discuss Johnston's case. Haniyeh,
of the Islamic militant group Hamas, has called for Johnston's release.
Haniyeh's spokesman, Ghazi Hamad, said he could not verify the recording.
"According to the tape, yes they are they kidnappers ... but we haven't confirmed this yet," he said.
Gaza-based security analyst Shaker Shabat said the recording appeared authentic, but said the extent of the Al-Qaida connection remained unclear.
He said, for instance, a local group might be trying to gain favor with Al-Qaida to get funding. Their demands tell the outside the world that they are related to Al-Qaida.
A senior British diplomat met Tuesday with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas to discuss the Johnston's fate.
"This unfortunate incident is of great concern to the British government," said Richard Makepeace, the U.K. consul-general in Jerusalem, as he left Haniyeh's office in Gaza.