Last update - 00:00 17/05/2007
British gov't contacts jailed Al-Qaida man to help free Johnston
By Associated Press
The British government is in talks with a man once known as Osama bin Laden's spiritual ambassador in Europe, Omar Abu Qatada, in an attempt to secure the release of kidnapped BBC correspondent Alan Johnston, the British Foreign Office said Thursday.
"We have been in discussion with Abu Qatada via his lawyer with regards to making an appeal for his release," said a Foreign Office spokeswoman speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government policy.
Johnston, who turned 45 Thursday, has been held since he was kidnapped March 12 in Gaza City by Palestinian gunmen. His alleged kidnappers have demanded Qatada's release from Longlartin Prison in Britain.
In a statement released to a London-based Islamist organization late Wednesday, Qatada offered to travel to Gaza and meet with Johnston's captors.
"I announce my full readiness to go on a trip to Gaza, with a delegation from BBC, to meet with the brothers, the abductors, concerning the release of the journalist Alan Johnson," Qatada wrote in a letter sent to the Islamic Observatory Center.
The Foreign Office said it had not heard of the radical cleric's offer. In the letter Qatada accused the British government of not being serious in its efforts to release Johnston, saying its inaction will eventually cause him to be killed.
Qatada, a radical cleric of Palestinian-Jordanian descent and a Jordanian citizen - was once described by a Spanish judge as Osama bin Laden's spiritual ambassador in Europe. He is awaiting deportation to Jordan after the British government accused him of raising funds for extremist groups and offering spiritual advice and religious legitimacy to militants planning attacks.
"As we have said over the past 66 days, we welcome any assistance from any individual who might be in a position to influence the release of Alan Johnston, the British Broadcasting Corp. said in a statement."
Qatada's case is seen as the first real test of Britain's plan to deport terrorist suspects to countries with poor human rights records, after securing guarantees that those deported will not be tortured. Opponents claim the agreements, which are not binding, offer no protection to suspects.
His appeal against his deportation was refused in February. Qatada's lawyer, Gareth Peirce, said she would appeal again.
There is no immediate timeframe for his deportation. Qatada, who is also known by his real name, Omar Mahmoud Mohammed Othman, and as Omar Abu Omar, has denied supporting terrorism and claimed he would not receive a fair trial if deported to Jordan, where he has been convicted in connection with two 1998 bombings. He has been jailed in Britain under anti-terrorism laws since 2005.
Palestinian security officials said they believed the group claiming to hold Johnston is the Army of Islam.
It is unclear whether the shadowy Palestinian group has ties with al-Qaida. The group released a 20-minute recording recently, demanding Abu Qatada's release.
A picture of Johnston's press card accompanied the recording.