Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Sunday said the kidnappers of British Broadcast Corporation correspondent Alan Johnston had made a new video of the abducted journalist wearing what appeared to be explosives around his waist.

Army of Islam later made the one minute and 42-second-long video available on a web site early Monday morning.

In the video, Johnston is wearing an apparent explosives belt of the type suicide bombers use and warning it will be detonated if an attempt is made to free him by force.

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It opens with the title "Alan's Appeal" in both English and Arabic and features the logo of the Army of Islam, a shadowy group that has claimed responsibility for snatching Johnston.

"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," Johnston says in the recording, looking nervous and stressed.

"And the situation is now very serious, as you can see."

Johnston is seen wearing a red sweater with a blue and white checked vest strapped around his body - the apparent bomb belt.

"I have been dressed in what is an explosive belt, which the kidnappers say will be detonated if there is an attempt to storm the area," he continues. "They say they are ready to turn the hide-out into what they describe as a death zone if there is an attempt to free me by force."

BBC said in a statement on its Web site that it is "very distressing for Alan's family and colleagues to see him being threatened in this way."

"We ask those holding Alan to avoid him being harmed by releasing him immediately," it said.

Haniyeh, prime minister of the Hamas-led government sacked by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, disclosed the video of Johnston in his first major speech since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip just over a week ago.

A Palestinian source close to the negotiations confirmed the existence of a new tape showing Johnston wearing an explosives belt.

Johnston, 45, went missing in Gaza on March 12 and is thought to be in the hands of the Army of Islam, a little known group that appears to draw inspiration from Al-Qaida.