Renewed calls for Johnston release

Updated 07.38 Sat Jun 02 2007

Keywords: Gaza, Alan Johnston

A video of the BBC's kidnapped Middle East correspondent Alan Johnston has renewed calls for the reporter's release.

The clip was posted on a website by the Army of Islam group. Mr Johnston, who was snatched from his car in Gaza 81 days ago, appears fit and calm and called for the lifting of international sanctions against the Palestinian government.

"We are aware of the reports and trying to follow them up as fast we can to get further clarification" - Foreign Office spokesman

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas led calls for Johnston's abductors to release him.

He said: "We are renewing our demand to the men who captured, the abductors of, the British journalist, to protect him and not to harm his life and to immediately release the journalist.

"This action does not serve Islam, does not serve the Palestinian cause, and does not serve those who captured him."

British prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown also joined in the calls and said the video was being urgently investigated.

Johnston's parents Margaret and Graham attended their local church in Lochgoilhead, Scotland, after the video of their son was posted on the site.

Following a short vigil at the church for their son, which have been held daily for the past few weeks, Margaret Johnston said: "It was just very, very good to see him looking as well as he did, and sounding good as well."

She added: "Just wish I'd known, we'd knew, when it had been taken, that we'd know that is how he is now."

Graham Johnston said: "It's the first indication we have had that he's okay. For all 81 days or whatever it is we keep wondering how is he, how is he being treated? So yes, this has buoyed us up, very much so."

There was no way to tell when the video, which appeared on the Al-Ekhlaas website, was recorded but it bore the logo of the Army of Islam.

Mr Johnston spoke of the suffering people in Gaza have endured and asked for a lifting of sanctions imposed in an effort to put pressure on the Palestinian government to recognise Israel's right to exist and renounce violence.

He directly criticises the British Government's foreign policy in the video, saying it was "completely to blame" for the problems in Iraq.

As he started talking about directing a message to his family the video was cut and the screen flashed up a sign saying "BBC refused to take this message to his family".

Prime Minister Tony Blair, apparently referring to Mr Johnston's remarks on British and Israeli policy, said: "I don't think I should really comment on the video as such, made in the circumstances in which it is. But we will carry on doing everything we can and hope that we can secure his release."

The Foreign Office said it condemned the release of the video.

The Palestinian news agency Ramattan said it had received a recording of the kidnapped reporter from the Army of Islam group.

It is a little-known group but has previously claimed responsibility for Mr Johnston's kidnapping and demanded that Britain frees Muslim prisoners.