Jailed cleric offers to help Johnston

Updated 14.08 Thu May 17 2007

Keywords: Islamic Observatory Centre, Alan Johnston, Abu Qatada

A radical cleric who is in a UK jail has offered to help gain the release of the kidnapped BBC journalist Alan Johnston in Gaza.

The Islamic Observatory Centre said in a statement it had received a letter from Abu Qatada in which he had offered to help by meeting Mr Johnston's captors.

Qatada, who is suspected of close links to al-Qaeda, has been described by the Government as a "significant international terrorist"

One of the demands of the group is the release of Qatada.

The cleric said he was issuing the letter because the "British Government has been trying to deal with me in an incorrect manner in the matter of Alan Johnston". He did not elaborate.

The Foreign Office said it has been in touch with Qatada's lawyer to see if he would be willing to make a humanitarian appeal for Mr Johnston's release.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnston's 45th birthday is being marked by a number of vigils across the world. The journalist, originally from Argyll, was seized at gunpoint on his way home in Gaza City on March 12.

Qatada is one of more than a dozen Arab men held in detention or under house arrest as threats to national security.

The centre quoted the cleric as saying in the letter: "I am ready to travel to the city of Gaza with a BBC delegation to meet the ... captors with the aim of getting the journalist Alan Johnston released.

"It is clear that the British government is not serious in getting ... Johnston freed and is heading towards his getting killed."

Qatada, who is suspected of close links to al-Qaeda, has been described by the Government as a "significant international terrorist", making it very unlikely he would be allowed to go to Gaza.

A British court ruled in February Abu Qatada could be deported to Jordan, despite the likelihood he would face a flawed trial there.