BBC reporter could be released within next few hours
<noinclude>
{{date|June 17, 2007}}

[[Image:Free Alan Johnston poster.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Poster outside [[w:Bush House|Bush House]], home of the [[w:BBC World Service|BBC World Service]]]]
A spokesman for the [[w:Hamas|Hamas]] organisation has indicated that the [[w:BBC|BBC]] reporter [[w:Alan Johnston|Alan Johnston]] kidnapped in [[w:Gaza|Gaza]] on 12 March would be released within hours. 

"The BBC journalist will be released within the next hours, today", said Abu Osameh al-Mo'ti, Hamas spokesman from [[w:Iran|Iran]].

Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas official in Gaza was however more cautious about the situation, saying that "There are encouraging indicators that he will be released in the near future. But we cannot determine this in terms of hours." 

Later, a spokesman for the group said to be holding Alan, the [[w:Army of Islam|Army of Islam]] denied the release was imminent. The group is demanding that [[w:Abu Qatada|Abu Qatada]], described by the [[w:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]] government as "significant international terrorist", be released and said that "If they don't meet these demands there will be no release of this prisoner."  

Earlier this month Johnston appeared in a video in which the group holding him demanded that [[w:Britain|Britain]] released [[w:Muslim|Muslim]] prisoners.

The UK [[w:Foreign and Commonwealth Office|Foreign Office]] described the ongoing confusion as distressful to Alan Johnston's family and friends. The BBC has said that "We are watching developments very closely."

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6761043.stm
|title=BBC reporter 'to be freed soon'
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 17, 2007
}}
*{{source|url=http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-06-17T101530Z_01_DAH729746_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-IRAN-HAMAS-BBC-COL.XML
|title=Hamas official says BBC reporter to be freed Sunday
|author=Parisa Hafezi
|pub=Reuters
|date=June 17, 2007
}}
*{{source|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=aaU39zkJsyDI&refer=uk
|title=BBC's Alan Johnston to Be Freed in `Coming Hours,' Hamas Says 
|author=David Rosenberg and Saud Abu Ramadan
|pub=Bloomberg
|date=June 17, 2007
}}
*{{source|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/8451A1BA-1CD8-4ECD-8528-67AB14C0595E.htm
|title=Johnston deal denied by kidnappers
|author=
|pub=Al Jazeera
|date=June 17, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1767459620070617
|title=Palestinian group denies deal to free reporter
|author=
|pub=Reuters
|date=June 17, 2007}}

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</noinclude>

[[Category:Gaza Strip]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Alan Johnston]]
[[Category:Journalism]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Hamas]]
[[Category:Abu Qatada]]
[[Category:Foreign and Commonwealth Office]]
Bush House, home of the BBC World Service
A spokesman for the Hamas organisation has indicated that the BBC reporter Alan Johnston kidnapped in Gaza on 12 March would be released within hours. 

"The BBC journalist will be released within the next hours, today", said Abu Osameh al-Mo'ti, Hamas spokesman from Iran.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas official in Gaza was however more cautious about the situation, saying that "There are encouraging indicators that he will be released in the near future. But we cannot determine this in terms of hours." 

Later, a spokesman for the group said to be holding Alan, the Army of Islam denied the release was imminent. The group is demanding that Abu Qatada, described by the United Kingdom government as "significant international terrorist", be released and said that "If they don't meet these demands there will be no release of this prisoner."  

Earlier this month Johnston appeared in a video in which the group holding him demanded that Britain released Muslim prisoners.

The UK Foreign Office described the ongoing confusion as distressful to Alan Johnston's family and friends. The BBC has said that "We are watching developments very closely."
Gaza Strip Middle East Politics and conflicts Alan Johnston Journalism United Kingdom Hamas Abu Qatada Foreign and Commonwealth Office