Kidnappers of British reporter Alan Johnston have not released him for fear they will be harmed if they do now that Hamas controls Gaza, a senior Hamas official said Saturday.

Mahmoud Zahar, a hardline Hamas leader, has been overseeing negotiations between the militant group and The Army of Islam, which claims to hold British Broadcasting Corp. correspondent Alan Johnston.

Johnston was snatched from a Gaza City street March 12. The kidnappers are afraid, afraid, Zahar said in a lecture at a Gaza mosque.

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Previously The Army of Islam had demanded Britain free a jailed Muslim militant in exchange for Johnston's release.

But after Hamas took over the Gaza Strip last week and has vowed to crack down on anarchy, the shadowy hard-line group that is believed to have some links to Hamas now fears it will be targeted if it releases Johnston.

Hamas is still trying to convince the clan associated with the group that they would not be killed if they hand over Johnston, even providing written guarantees, Zahar said. But the clan also fears other tribes will attack them, he said.

Hamas had vowed last week to use all means to release the Briton. But Zahar's comments indicated Hamas may be taking a softer line toward the kidnappers.