Kidnapping of Alan Johnston
Encyclopedia
The kidnapping of Alan Johnston
, a BBC
journalist, by the Palestinian Durmush Hamula
in Gaza City began on 12 March 2007 and lasted for nearly four months (114 days).
His captivity led to many protests in the Palestinian territories
, as well as the British government meeting a Hamas
member for the first time. On 15 April unconfirmed reports claiming that he had been murdered surfaced, later declared by Palestinian intelligence sources to be false. A tape claiming to be from Johnston's kidnappers surfaced on 8 May, leading to renewed hope that he would soon be released, and three weeks later a Hamas spokesperson spoke of his hope that Johnston would be freed quickly. Johnston then appeared in a video released online by his alleged kidnappers on 1 June.
Hopes were raised for his release in mid-June after Hamas took full control
of Gaza and set a deadline for his release, but on 24 June a video of him wearing what he said was an explosive belt was released along with a warning that if attempts were made to rescue him by force it would be detonated. However, on 4 July, Johnston was freed, and left Gaza for Jerusalem.
earlier in the day, where he had been for a dental appointment. A business card belonging to Johnston was found at the scene, identifying him as having been in the car, at the time of his kidnapping The BBC was alerted to his disappearance when he did not make an arranged telephone call.
According to Palestinian police, four armed men were spotted near Johnston's car, and Johnston is believed to have been abducted at gunpoint. A state of emergency was declared with checkpoints set up to find Johnston, who was in the final weeks of his posting to Gaza, where he had been stationed for three years.
There were some reports that negotiations had begun to try to secure Johnston's release, although the BBC strenuously emphasised that it could not independently verify reports that Johnston had been kidnapped. A week after his disappearance, the BBC admitted that it seemed certain now that he had been kidnapped.
On 21 March, Israel
i sources reported that Johnston may have been taken by the same groups that captured Gilad Shalit
in June 2006. However, this was strongly denied by both the Popular Resistance Committees
.
26 March marked the fact that his kidnapping was now the longest-ever of a foreigner in Gaza since abductions began happening in the Gaza Strip, which led to renewed calls for his release.
In the midst of his third week in captivity, news agencies began reporting on speculation that Johnston had been kidnapped by a powerful Gaza family with criminal connections, and which was willing to switch support to the other faction in the Palestinian Territories
should one displease them. It then emerged that the family might be holding Johnston as a bargaining chip who would be released in return for ten Hamas
gunmen who killed members of the family.
On the day marking the fourth week of his disappearance, a London-based Arab newspaper, Al-Hayat, reported that Gaza authorities were looking into the possibility that Johnston might have staged his own disappearance after hearing that he was soon to be fired. At first, the BBC refused to comment on the report, before issuing a statement, calling on press not to run the article in question "given that there is absolutely no truth to it", adding that "there is no truth in any suggestion that Alan Johnston may have staged his own kidnap, nor that the BBC was about to dismiss him."
Early on 9 May local time, the BBC reported that al-Jazeera in Gaza had received a tape which was purported to be from Johnston's kidnappers. It was sent to the station by a group calling itself the Army of Islam
, despite earlier claims by the group that it had not committed the kidnapping. The tape contained still photos, including one of Johnston's BBC card, and demanded "that Britain free our prisoners, particularly Sheikh Abu Qatada
, the Palestinian." The BBC said it was investigating the tape and "welcome any sign that Alan may be alive", adding its hope that the tape release meant that Johnston would soon be released.
condemned the kidnapping, and vowed to "bring the criminals to justice", calling the abduction "despicable". The Foreign Press Association issued an appeal for Johnston's release, while both Hamas
and Fatah
also called for Johnston to be freed. Reporters Without Borders
(RSF) also voiced their concern at the apparent abduction, blaming it on the "impunity" that no-one involved with prior kidnappings had been convicted that "[encouraged]" his kidnappers to act.
On 15 March, the BBC's Middle East bureau chief Simon Wilson issued a statement in Gaza thanking Ismail Haniya
, Mahmoud Abbas
and the Palestinian government for trying to help resolve the situation. He also issued a new plea for information on Johnston's whereabouts. In London, the Muslim Council of Britain
also put forward an appeal for the release of Johnston, calling on Abbas and Haniya to do their utmost to secure Johnston's freedom, while over 20 Palestinian journalists held a rally on 17 March outside parliament
in Gaza
in support of Johnston. The rally was also attended by Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti
and Wilson.
Barghouti said: "We are opposed to the kidnapping of foreign journalists who serve the Palestinian cause."
A week after Johnston went missing, his father made a televised appeal for his release. Speaking from Argyll
, Graham Johnston called on his son's abductors to "let my son go, now, today". Wilson said that the fact that there had been no information on Johnston for over a week had been "disappointing", adding that efforts made to find Johnston would have to be redoubled. He also noted that the BBC's only request was to have "some firm information" on Johnston. Deputy Director General of the BBC Mark Byford
also called for people with influence to secure Johnston's release, while BBC staff in London held a rally in support of Johnston.
RSF invited Arabic-language
news media and bloggers to post banners on their websites that called for Johnston to be freed. RSF also noted that the "silence" surrounding Johnston's abduction was "particularly worrying".
The Palestinian Journalists Union in Gaza
observed a 24-hour strike on 20 March to protest against Johnston's abduction, and threatened to "escalate" its protests until Johnston was released. Foreign and local journalists in Ramallah
, West Bank
, had held a sit-in a day earlier, at which Barghouti again condemned the kidnapping.
The BBC said that it had received "assurances" about the well-being of Johnston, but repeated that it had "no firm knowledge" of his condition. It also thanked journalists who demonstrated in a show of support both in the Middle East and back in the UK.
European Union foreign policy representative Javier Solana
told the BBC on 20 March that the EU was doing all it could to try to establish Johnston's whereabouts. Solana added that the EU had been involved since the day of the kidnapping. British Foreign Secretary
Margaret Beckett
told Parliament that London was also doing everything it could, and had brought the issue up with Mahmoud Abbas, saying that Abbas had given her assurances that finding Johnston was "very much" a goal of the Palestinian authorities. Journalists also protested in front of Abbas's office to demand that more be done to deal with the situation.
Protests continued on 22 March, demanding more protection of journalists and more be done to prevent violation of press freedoms. Ahmed Abdel Rahman, advisor to Abbas for the PLO, told protesting journalists in Ramallah that there were "indications of an imminent release". Twelve days into Johnston's abduction, the Bishop of Lichfield
Jonathan Gledhill
asked churchgoers to pray for Johnston's release, saying that people were grateful for "brave journalists" like Johnston.
Over 100 people held a rally for Johnston's release thirteen days into his captivity. Simon Wilson again urged those with influence to "work tirelessly" to obtain Johnston's freedom. On the day marking the second week since Johnston went missing, Gaza reporters held another strike in solidarity with Johnston. The beginning of Johnston's third week in captivity also lead RSF to press the Arab League
to issue a new appeal for Johnston's release at an upcoming summit.
In response to the RSF appeal, at the end of the two-day summit Saudi
Foreign Minister
Prince Saud al-Faisal
condemned the kidnapping, adding that he hoped the kidnappers would soon release Johnston, saying that this was "certainly ... not something that anybody, anybody would approve of" and that Johnston was just "doing his job".
Amnesty International
and Cardiff University (which Johnston attended) also both issued calls for Johnston's release. The deputy director of the university's journalism centre noted that the kidnapping "deprived Palestine of an objective reporter relaying its news to the West."
A new three-day strike was planned by journalists in the lead-up to the fourth week of Johnston's kidnapping. The strike included a ban on covering all government activities and the Palestinian Authority in general. Simultaneous demonstrations and protests were also planned for 2 April in both Gaza and Ramallah
. On the day itself, over three hundred journalists held a demonstration in Gaza with their mouths tied and gagged. They then marched to the city's government area. Another such protest was held in Ramallah in front of Abbas' office.
The three-day strike meant that a meeting between United States Speaker of the House
Nancy Pelosi
(D
-CA
) and Abbas was boycotted by the local media. That same day, UNESCO
Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura
added his voice to those calling for Johnston's release. He noted that the situation was "increasingly disturbing", and asked authorities to "do their utmost to obtain his release as quickly as possible".
On 4 April, the protesting journalists forced the cancellation of a rare meeting of Parliament in Gaza after the entrance to the Parliament building was blocked by the protesters. Some of the lawmakers then stood and listened to the protest. The next day, Britain's Consul-General in Jerusalem Richard Makepeace met with Prime Minister Haniya, breaking a ban by the European Union on contacts with Hamas
. British diplomats stressed that the meeting was only to discuss Johnston's kidnapping and did not "represent a change of policy". Makepeace's office emphasised that the meeting was "strictly for humanitarian reasons", while Reuters
quoted some diplomats as saying that it was generally agreed that the boycott of Hamas could be relaxed in emergencies like kidnappings.
Palestinian children took part in a demonstration on 6 April to call for Johnston's release. The children held banners and carried his picture when demonstrating in the streets. Johnston was also spoken of at Friday prayers. Fresh protests were held in Ramallah
, Nablus
, Jenin
and Gaza City the next day by Palestinian journalists, who held banners condemning Johnston's abduction. The Palestinian Cabinet held a special meeting the next day to discuss Johnston's case, and directed that "all necessary measures" should be taken to secure Johnston's freedom.
On Easter Sunday, 8 April 2007, Archbishop of York
John Sentamu
included Johnston in his Easter prayers, calling him a "symbol of ensuring the freedom of the press is not violated". It was reported the same day that about one thousand British journalists would send protest emails to Abbas over the continued abduction of Johnston.
Four weeks after Johnston's disappearance, his BBC colleagues once again got together in London to show support for the missing reporter. The BBC's head of news-gathering, Fran Unsworth, commented that Johnston was "incarcerated", and voiced concerns about Johnston's mental state and general health, adding that "the longer it goes on the more concerned that we become". Jordan
ian journalists also urged the release of Johnston that same week, calling his abduction "a violation of the freedom of press", as well as claiming that it "extends a service to the Israeli occupation forces which commit the ugliest crimes against the Palestinian people." The Jordan Press Association urged the Palestinian authorities to do all it could to ensure his release, and to "conduct an investigation" on those who "committed this unjustifiable act."
The Palestinian government
apologised again on 10 April that Johnston was still missing. Mustafa Barghouti
repeated that the government was making every effort to find Johnston, and said that the government was "deeply sorry", adding that the kidnapping was "detrimental to our national cause."
Mark Thompson
gave a news conference in Ramallah, and made another appeal for Johnston's release. He said that Johnston "had formed many strong friendships", and was "held in great affection and regard by those who know him." He repeated Fran Unsworth's comments made days earlier, saying that the BBC was "increasingly concerned about the physical and mental toll" of Johnston's "incarceration". Thompson also said that "Alan had been looking forward to returning to his staff post in London in the BBC World Service newsroom" because "Gaza [had] become an increasingly difficult and chaotic place for journalists to operate in safely", seemingly dispelling rumours that he had staged his own kidnapping because he did not want to be transferred. He also thanked the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate for "highlighting Alan's suffering", and the people of Gaza.
Johnston's father Graham once again issued a new plea to the kidnappers to free his son. In an open letter, the senior Johnston addressed his son's kidnappers, telling them to "please think about what this is doing to my family." Again, he asked the kidnappers to "please let my son go now, today." Addressing his son, he said that the family "wanted you to know how distressed and sorry we all are that you were taken," adding that despite warnings from his son that being kidnapped was a possibility, "when it came, it was still a considerable shock." He ended the open letter by saying that "all our heartfelt warmest fondest love is sent to you from all your family and in the fervent hope that you will be released unharmed."
BBC World
, BBC News 24
, Al Jazeera English and Sky News
agreed to simulcast a special programme dedicated to bringing the plight of Johnston to people. The thirty-minute broadcast, fronted by Jeremy Bowen
, contained reports from Al Jazeera, Sky and CNN International
. Bowen began by noting that "about the only good thing to come out of the last month is the way Alan's colleagues, especially here in the occupied Palestinian territories, have rallied around him." It was the first such effort made jointly by global news networks.
Reporters Without Borders also organised a rally at Trafalgar Square
in central London
in support of the missing journalist. The rally was attended by Johnston's parents. A rally was also held in Gaza, calling on the Palestinian government to do more. In a statement, RSF stated that it was "unacceptable that a journalist should be used as a bargaining chip in an abduction", and asked "What are the authorities waiting for to obtain his release?"
issued a call for Johnston's release, stating that his kidnappers "should release him unconditionally and immediately." The Secretary-General extended his sympathies to Johnston's family and promised to do all in his power to secure Johnston's release.
16 April marked the fifth week since Johnston's disappearance. Despite unconfirmed claims of his execution, new vigils and protests were held for Johnston. BBC staff held its weekly vigils for Johnston, led by Mark Thompson, who confirmed that the BBC was still looking for clarification about Johnston's well-being. Thompson also praised the reporter's family. Journalists also held protests in Beirut
, Lebanon
, and in Brussels
, Belgium outside the European Commission
building.
A new protest was held by Palestinian journalists outside the Gaza Parliament on 17 April. However, armed guards outside the building turned violent against the protesters, hitting them with their rifles, leading one journalist to comment that "we came peacefully, but we are being assaulted now." Three journalists were injured. RSF condemned the violence, saying that it was "outraged by this violence against journalists who had gone to express their fears and emotion about Johnston's fate."
On 18 April, Marwan Barghouti
, a Fatah
leader in prison in Israel
called on Johnston's kidnappers to free the journalist "from my cell, and in the name of 10,000 prisoners in the occupation jails". Aidan White, general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists
, announced that he would visit Gaza to deliver a letter to the Palestinian Authority, signed by 200 European MPs
, which asked the PA to "make every effort" to ensure Johnston was freed. The 200 MEPs also called on the European Union to take stronger action. The European Parliament
would later unanimously
support a resolution on 25 April urging the immediate release of Johnston, with the resolution's proposer saying it sent "a strong political signal" for his release.
On 23 April, various prayer meetings and vigils were held for the missing reporter, exactly six weeks after he went missing. A vigil was held in Islamabad
, Pakistan
, and an inter-religious service was held at a church in London. The London vigil was attended by a senior rabbi at the west London synagogue, the vicar at the church, Reverend Nicholas Holtam, as well as the chairman of the United Kingdom Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony. The missing journalist's sister also attended the weekly vigil with BBC Scotland staff in Glasgow
.
The next day, Palestinian deputy prime minister Azzam al-Ahmad
told Richard Makepeace that Johnston was "in good health" and emphasised that the "government is fully co-ordinating with the presidency and all security services to pursue the extensive efforts to release Johnston". New protests were held by the National Union of Journalists
in London, and by foreign journalists on both ends of the Erez Crossing
in Gaza and Israel
. In Asia, a protest was held in Bangkok
, Thailand
on the 49th day since Johnston's disappearance. Azzam al-Ahmad repeated Palestinian claims that Johnston was "alive" when meeting with visiting MEPs the same day. However, at this point there had still not been any direct confirmation of Johnston's condition. Later that day, al-Ahmad told a press conference that Johnston's kidnappers had made new demands, all of which had been rejected, and added that the negotiations were at a "sensitive stage".
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly
, Secretary-General Ban again said that he wanted to "plead for the immediate release of the BBC journalist Alan Johnston, abducted in Gaza." In London, a moment of silence was observed at the Sony Radio Academy Awards
ceremony, and John Humphrys
, who won the award for news journalist of the year, said that Johnston and other BBC correspondents in danger zones deserved the award more than he did.
On 2 May, it was revealed that the British Government rejected a proposal by the Palestinian Authority to use force in a possible rescue attempt to free Johnston, due to worries about his safety in such a situation. Ismail Haniyeh also said that progress had been made in negotiations with Johnston's kidnappers, and the kidnappers had lowered their demands for his release. The same day, British Prime Minister
Tony Blair
was questioned in Parliament about British efforts to free the journalist. Lee Scott, a British MP, had called on Prime Minister Blair to use the time before he stepped down from office to try to free Johnston as well as Gilad Shalit
. Blair told the House of Commons
that there was "no conceivable reason for him (Johnston) to be kept", and that the Government would "continue to do everything we can to facilitate" Johnston's release. In Ireland, top Catholic and Muslim
leaders also called for his immediate release.
World Press Freedom Day
, 3 May, was Johnston's 52nd day in captivity. Gatherings were held worldwide for the missing journalist, with vigils in London, Beijing and Jakarta
, Indonesia
, and a rally outside United Nations headquarters
in New York City. Asha-Rose Migiro
, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General
, said that there was "no cause... served" by the continued detention of Johnston, and a minute's silence was held. The rally at the UN was also attended by UN officials and journalists. At the candlelight vigil in Jakarta, a message from Johnston's father was read out by a British embassy staff member, and it said in part that the family was "overwhelmed" with the support it had received. A minute's silence was also observed at a candlelight vigil in Beijing. The same day, at the Natali Prize awards ceremony for news articles on human rights and democracy, European Commissioner for Development & Humanitarian Aid
Louis Michel
joined calls for Johnston's release.
A news conference was held by Reporters Without Borders on the same day, which brought together former hostages in Iraq
, Afghanistan
and Gaza. Steve Centanni
, who was held hostage for two weeks in Gaza in 2006, said that his thoughts were with Johnston, and ten top representatives of Europe's Muslims condemned the kidnapping and called for his release.
The start of Johnston's ninth week in captivity came with reports in a Palestinian newspaper that Johnston's kidnappers had set three requirements for his release. They demanded a plot of land, a $5 million ransom, and the release of Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi
, imprisoned in Jordan
for attempting to carry out a suicide bombing
in the 2005 Amman bombings
. However, the reports also noted that negotiations for his release remained difficult and that he would not likely be released soon.
Richard Makepeace met a second time with Palestinian Prime Minister Haniya over Johnston's continued incommunicado situation on 8 May. He described the meeting as part of "continuous contacts over this humanitarian case", adding that the "unfortunate incident is of great concern to the British government."
Canadian journalists held a protest outside CBC
headquarters in Toronto on 10 May to mark Johnston's 60th day in captivity. Many seasoned Canadian journalists spoke of the need to free Johnston, and commented on Johnston's journalism and the deteriorating situation in Gaza, with Brian Stewart
commenting that "we have finally reached the end of the line ... enough is enough."
A rally was held outside the equivalent of a Palestinian embassy in Paris on 11 May, attended by RSF activists, BBC staff and the Palestinian representative to France. The representative, Hind Khoury, called the kidnapping a "cowardly act" and re-emphasised that the authorities in the Palestinian Authority were doing their best every day to get Johnston freed unharmed.
claimed that it had executed him. The group vowed to release a video of the execution, further claiming in a statement that they "were surprised by the position of the Palestinian Authority, which attempted to hide the case as much as it could and to present the case in an untruthful manner, leading us unfortunately to kill the journalist".
The BBC and the Foreign Office immediately confirmed to Agence France-Presse
that they were both "urgently" investigating the reports, and the BBC added that it was "deeply concerned about what it is hearing", highlighting the growing concern for the safety of Alan Johnston. However, the BBC also emphasised that the claims were "rumour with no independent verification". A spokesman for 10 Downing Street
said that the British government was "working closely with the Palestinian Authority" and "urgently seeking information from them".
The Palestinian Interior Ministry raised doubts about the claims, and said that they believed that Johnston was still being held by someone else, and this declaration was an attempt to pressure the Palestinian government. The claims also led to concern among Palestinian journalists that Johnston may have been injured in the kidnapping, and the kidnappers were now looking for reasons to kill the reporter.
Johnston's parents urged the kidnappers to "end [their] ordeal", describing the incident as a "desperately worrying time". Speculation then emerged that Johnston's kidnappers may have sold the captive on to a third party. Reporters Without Borders also expressed "deep concern" about Johnston's fate, saying that the reports of his death "deeply [disturbing]" but also advised caution "as long as there is no evidence confirming that Johnston has been murdered."
However, a ransom demand was issued on 17 April, which seemingly conflicted with the claims that Johnston had been killed. Asharq Alawsat
reported that Johnston's kidnappers wanted US$5 million for his release. On 19 April, President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas
told reporters his intelligence services had confirmed that the journalist was still alive, which both the reporter's family and the BBC described as "good news".
On 12 May, the second month to the day of the kidnap, Archbishop of York
John Sentamu
appealed to Johnston's captors to set him free in an appeal broadcast on al-Jazeera. The International Press Institute
also repeated its call at its annual global meeting in Istanbul
for Johnston's release.
The next day, Iran
joined international condemnations of the kidnap, with a foreign ministry spokesman, Mohammad Ali Hosseini
, saying that kidnapping was not acceptable to Iran, and that Iran rejected kidnapping as a "matter of principle."
Johnston's 45th birthday, on 17 May, saw gatherings of journalists and politicians at rallies worldwide, in Hong Kong, Tehran
, Ramallah
and Moscow. The British Government also confirmed that it was holding discussions with an arrested Islamic cleric, Abu Qatada
, whom Johnston's alleged kidnappers demanded be freed, after Qatada offered to travel to Gaza to help free Johnston. The BBC had earlier reacted to Qatada's offer by saying that they "[welcomed] any assistance from any individual who might be in a position to influence the release of Alan Johnston".
The BBC also broadcast special reports, interviews and birthday greetings to the missing journalist on BBC radio and television in the possibility that Johnston had access to either.
A Palestinian government spokesman of Hamas
said on 27 May that he had hope for Johnston to soon be released. Ghazi Hamad
said that he "[knew]" Johnston to be "well and healthy", adding that no-one "has tried to harm or hurt him". Hamad also said that he hoped "to make [Johnston's release] very, very fast."
On 29 May, a Sudan
ese al-Jazeera cameraman who had been held without charge at Guantanamo Bay since 2001 issued a statement through his lawyer asking for Johnston's release. Sami Mohy El Din Muhammed Al Hajj
's letter compared his extrajudicial detention
by the U.S. to Johnston's captivity. "What the Americans are doing to me is very, very wrong ... this is not a lesson that Muslims should copy."
On 1 June, a video was released by the Palestinian Army of Islam
saying that it was holding Johnston. Johnston appeared in the video and said that he had been treated well and was in good health, but it is unclear when the video was taken, and whether he was forced to say what he did under duress.
had taken full control
of Gaza
following attacks on Fatah
positions, a Hamas spokesman told a news conference that it had told the Army of Islam to free Johnston "immediately" and had "warned against not setting him free", describing Johnston as the Palestinians' guest.
The Daily Mail
cited a person "close to the negotiations" for Johnston's release as saying that Johnston was expected to be freed within a day, and the BBC confirmed that it knew of the reports about a possible release, but noted that the volatile situation in Gaza was a concern. This mirrored the view of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
, which said they were "very worried" about Johnston in the lawlessness of Gaza. However, after no news of a release, a spokesman claiming to speak for the Army of Islam said that while there had been "developments" in discussions, "if things get worse we will get closer to God by killing this journalist."
Reporters Without Borders immediately expressed its concern at the threat to kill Johnston, saying in a press release that they were "very worried" about "the irrational demands being made by Johnston’s abductors, the radicalisation of their position and their threat to kill him". Hamas
reacted to the claim by issuing an ultimatum
against the kidnappers, warning that it would use military force to free Johnston if he was not freed by the end of Monday, 18 June, to which the Foreign Office expressed deep concern. Kim Howells
of the Foreign Office noted that the situation had to be "handled with great delicacy", and that "we hope that they are not using this as some sort of publicity stunt to win favour with some elements in the West." Johnston himself, however, said he felt they had been "...the key factor in creating the conditions in which I could be freed."
Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar
announced on 19 June, Johnston's 99th day in captivity, that he had secured a promise from the Army of Islam to release Johnston by 25 June, after Hamas extended its ultimatum for his release. This news came ahead of planned global events by the BBC
and RSF to mark Johnston's 100th day in captivity.
The Jerusalem Post reported on 22 June that Johnston had not yet been freed because the leader of the group claiming to hold Johnston wanted assurances that he and his clan members would not be killed. Mumtaz Dagmoush and a brother of his were wanted by Hamas on charges of being involved with the murder of Hamas members. However, a Hamas source told the Jerusalem Post that "we will negotiate with them about their safety only after they release the journalist".
On 24 June, Ismail Haniyeh, a senior political leader of Hamas
, said that Johnston had been seen on video with explosives strapped around his waist. The BBC confirmed that it was "aware" of the video, and appealed again for his release, saying that it was "very distressing for Alan's family and colleagues to see him being threatened in this way".
On the day 16 weeks into Johnston's captivity, Hamas announced that it had arrested members of the Army of Islam, saying that the arrests took place since "peaceful means failed to free" Johnston. It also announced that an Army of Islam spokesman was among those detained after he allegedly shot at Hamas militants. Two days later Hamas forces began surrounding the area the Dugmush clan was known to control in Gaza. Whilst members of Hamas' Executive Forces claimed that the operation was the start of an attempt to free Johnston by force, the BBC reiterated its request that the journalist not be freed by military action.
. The advertisement states that the signatories "demand the immediate release of BBC
Gaza correspondent, Alan Johnston". The advertisement "[asks] again that everyone with influence on this situation increase their efforts, to ensure that Alan is freed quickly and unharmed."
It was signed by most editors of British national newspapers, including Alan Rusbridger
, Robert Thomson
, John Witherow
, Patience Wheatcroft
, Will Lewis, Paul Dacre
and Richard Wallace
. Other signatories included David Dimbleby
, Sir David Frost
, Jon Snow
, Christiane Amanpour
and Al Jazeera
's Wadah Khanfar
.
That same day, the BBC news website created an online version of the petition to allow people from across the world to sign it. The petition closed a few days later on 5 April. The petition was later re-opened on 12 April, a full month after Johnston's kidnapping.
On 3 July, the online petition registered its 200,000th signatory calling for Johnston's release.
officials. Johnston said he was "tired", but "in good health", and thanked those who pushed for his release. He also confirmed that he had access to the BBC World Service
for much of his captivity and had heard the worldwide calls for his release on shows like World Have Your Say and Newshour
. He described his captivity as an "appalling experience".
Johnston met with Haniya immediately after being freed before leaving for Jerusalem. He later also met Mahmoud Abbas
and Salam Fayyad
in Ramallah
before returning home, arriving in London on 7 July from Tel Aviv
.
Alan Johnston
Alan Graham Johnston is a British journalist working for the BBC. He has been the BBC's correspondent in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and the Gaza Strip, and is currently the correspondent in Rome...
, a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
journalist, by the Palestinian Durmush Hamula
Army of Islam (Gaza Strip)
Army of Islam , also known as Tawhid and Jihad Brigades, is the name used by the Doghmush Hamula for their Islamic militant activities. It is located at the Tzabra neighborhood in the center of the Gaza Strip bordered by Israel and Egypt...
in Gaza City began on 12 March 2007 and lasted for nearly four months (114 days).
His captivity led to many protests in the Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
, as well as the British government meeting a Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
member for the first time. On 15 April unconfirmed reports claiming that he had been murdered surfaced, later declared by Palestinian intelligence sources to be false. A tape claiming to be from Johnston's kidnappers surfaced on 8 May, leading to renewed hope that he would soon be released, and three weeks later a Hamas spokesperson spoke of his hope that Johnston would be freed quickly. Johnston then appeared in a video released online by his alleged kidnappers on 1 June.
Hopes were raised for his release in mid-June after Hamas took full control
Battle of Gaza (2007)
The Battle of Gaza was a military conflict between Hamas and Fatah that took place between June 7 and 15, 2007 in the Gaza Strip. After winning Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, Hamas and Fatah formed the Palestinan authority national unity government in 2007, headed by Ismail Haniya. In...
of Gaza and set a deadline for his release, but on 24 June a video of him wearing what he said was an explosive belt was released along with a warning that if attempts were made to rescue him by force it would be detonated. However, on 4 July, Johnston was freed, and left Gaza for Jerusalem.
Kidnapping and captivity
On 12 March 2007, Johnston's car was found abandoned on a street, shortly after he left his office to drive home. He had entered Gaza from IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
earlier in the day, where he had been for a dental appointment. A business card belonging to Johnston was found at the scene, identifying him as having been in the car, at the time of his kidnapping The BBC was alerted to his disappearance when he did not make an arranged telephone call.
According to Palestinian police, four armed men were spotted near Johnston's car, and Johnston is believed to have been abducted at gunpoint. A state of emergency was declared with checkpoints set up to find Johnston, who was in the final weeks of his posting to Gaza, where he had been stationed for three years.
There were some reports that negotiations had begun to try to secure Johnston's release, although the BBC strenuously emphasised that it could not independently verify reports that Johnston had been kidnapped. A week after his disappearance, the BBC admitted that it seemed certain now that he had been kidnapped.
On 21 March, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i sources reported that Johnston may have been taken by the same groups that captured Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit is an Israeli – French citizen and Israel Defense Forces soldier. On 25 June 2006, he was captured inside Israel by Hamas militants in a cross-border raid via underground tunnels near the border with Gaza. The Hamas militants held him for over five years, until he was released on...
in June 2006. However, this was strongly denied by both the Popular Resistance Committees
Popular Resistance Committees
The Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...
.
26 March marked the fact that his kidnapping was now the longest-ever of a foreigner in Gaza since abductions began happening in the Gaza Strip, which led to renewed calls for his release.
In the midst of his third week in captivity, news agencies began reporting on speculation that Johnston had been kidnapped by a powerful Gaza family with criminal connections, and which was willing to switch support to the other faction in the Palestinian Territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
should one displease them. It then emerged that the family might be holding Johnston as a bargaining chip who would be released in return for ten Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
gunmen who killed members of the family.
On the day marking the fourth week of his disappearance, a London-based Arab newspaper, Al-Hayat, reported that Gaza authorities were looking into the possibility that Johnston might have staged his own disappearance after hearing that he was soon to be fired. At first, the BBC refused to comment on the report, before issuing a statement, calling on press not to run the article in question "given that there is absolutely no truth to it", adding that "there is no truth in any suggestion that Alan Johnston may have staged his own kidnap, nor that the BBC was about to dismiss him."
Early on 9 May local time, the BBC reported that al-Jazeera in Gaza had received a tape which was purported to be from Johnston's kidnappers. It was sent to the station by a group calling itself the Army of Islam
Palestinian Army of Islam
Army of Islam , also known as Tawhid and Jihad Brigades, is the name used by the Doghmush Hamula for their Islamic militant activities. It is located at the Tzabra neighborhood in the center of the Gaza Strip bordered by Israel and Egypt...
, despite earlier claims by the group that it had not committed the kidnapping. The tape contained still photos, including one of Johnston's BBC card, and demanded "that Britain free our prisoners, particularly Sheikh Abu Qatada
Abu Qatada
Abû-Qatâda al-Filisṭînî , sometimes called Abû-Omar is an Islamist militant. Under the name Omar Mahmoud Othman , he is under worldwide embargo by the United Nations Security Council Committee 1267 for his affiliation with al-Qaeda...
, the Palestinian." The BBC said it was investigating the tape and "welcome any sign that Alan may be alive", adding its hope that the tape release meant that Johnston would soon be released.
First month
The Palestinian National AuthorityPalestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
condemned the kidnapping, and vowed to "bring the criminals to justice", calling the abduction "despicable". The Foreign Press Association issued an appeal for Johnston's release, while both Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
and Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
also called for Johnston to be freed. Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
(RSF) also voiced their concern at the apparent abduction, blaming it on the "impunity" that no-one involved with prior kidnappings had been convicted that "[encouraged]" his kidnappers to act.
On 15 March, the BBC's Middle East bureau chief Simon Wilson issued a statement in Gaza thanking Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniyeh ; is a senior political leader of Hamas and one of two disputed Prime Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority, the matter being under political and legal dispute. He became Prime Minister after the legislative elections of 2006 which Hamas won...
, Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
and the Palestinian government for trying to help resolve the situation. He also issued a new plea for information on Johnston's whereabouts. In London, the Muslim Council of Britain
Muslim Council of Britain
The Muslim Council of Britain is a self-appointed umbrella body for national, regional, local and specialist organisations and institutions from different ethnic and sectarian backgrounds within British Islamic society. It was established in 1997 to help Muslims, to increase education about the...
also put forward an appeal for the release of Johnston, calling on Abbas and Haniya to do their utmost to secure Johnston's freedom, while over 20 Palestinian journalists held a rally on 17 March outside parliament
Palestinian Legislative Council
The Palestinian Legislative Council, the legislature of the Palestinian Authority, is a unicameral body with 132 members, elected from 16 electoral districts in the West Bank and Gaza...
in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
in support of Johnston. The rally was also attended by Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti
Mustafa Barghouti
Mustafa Barghouti is a Palestinian democracy activist. He was a candidate for the presidency of the Palestinian National Authority in 2005, finishing second to Mahmoud Abbas, with 19% of the vote.Barghouti was born in Jerusalem...
and Wilson.
Barghouti said: "We are opposed to the kidnapping of foreign journalists who serve the Palestinian cause."
A week after Johnston went missing, his father made a televised appeal for his release. Speaking from Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
, Graham Johnston called on his son's abductors to "let my son go, now, today". Wilson said that the fact that there had been no information on Johnston for over a week had been "disappointing", adding that efforts made to find Johnston would have to be redoubled. He also noted that the BBC's only request was to have "some firm information" on Johnston. Deputy Director General of the BBC Mark Byford
Mark Byford
Mark Byford was Deputy Director General of the British Broadcasting Corporation and head of BBC Journalism from 2004-2011. He chaired the BBC Journalism Board and had overall responsibility for the world’s largest and most trusted news organisation, and all its radio, television and interactive...
also called for people with influence to secure Johnston's release, while BBC staff in London held a rally in support of Johnston.
RSF invited Arabic-language
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
news media and bloggers to post banners on their websites that called for Johnston to be freed. RSF also noted that the "silence" surrounding Johnston's abduction was "particularly worrying".
The Palestinian Journalists Union in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
observed a 24-hour strike on 20 March to protest against Johnston's abduction, and threatened to "escalate" its protests until Johnston was released. Foreign and local journalists in Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
, West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
, had held a sit-in a day earlier, at which Barghouti again condemned the kidnapping.
The BBC said that it had received "assurances" about the well-being of Johnston, but repeated that it had "no firm knowledge" of his condition. It also thanked journalists who demonstrated in a show of support both in the Middle East and back in the UK.
European Union foreign policy representative Javier Solana
Javier Solana
Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, KOGF is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician. After serving in the Spanish government under Felipe González and Secretary General of NATO , he was appointed the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary...
told the BBC on 20 March that the EU was doing all it could to try to establish Johnston's whereabouts. Solana added that the EU had been involved since the day of the kidnapping. British Foreign Secretary
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State...
Margaret Beckett
Margaret Beckett
Margaret Mary Beckett is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Derby South since 1983, rising to become the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party under John Smith, from 18 July 1992 to 12 May 1994, and briefly serving as Leader of the Party following Smith's death...
told Parliament that London was also doing everything it could, and had brought the issue up with Mahmoud Abbas, saying that Abbas had given her assurances that finding Johnston was "very much" a goal of the Palestinian authorities. Journalists also protested in front of Abbas's office to demand that more be done to deal with the situation.
Protests continued on 22 March, demanding more protection of journalists and more be done to prevent violation of press freedoms. Ahmed Abdel Rahman, advisor to Abbas for the PLO, told protesting journalists in Ramallah that there were "indications of an imminent release". Twelve days into Johnston's abduction, the Bishop of Lichfield
Bishop of Lichfield
The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
Jonathan Gledhill
Jonathan Gledhill
Jonathan Michael Gledhill is the 98th Bishop of Lichfield. He was enthroned in Lichfield Cathedral on 15 November 2003....
asked churchgoers to pray for Johnston's release, saying that people were grateful for "brave journalists" like Johnston.
Over 100 people held a rally for Johnston's release thirteen days into his captivity. Simon Wilson again urged those with influence to "work tirelessly" to obtain Johnston's freedom. On the day marking the second week since Johnston went missing, Gaza reporters held another strike in solidarity with Johnston. The beginning of Johnston's third week in captivity also lead RSF to press the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
to issue a new appeal for Johnston's release at an upcoming summit.
In response to the RSF appeal, at the end of the two-day summit Saudi
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
Foreign Minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
Prince Saud al-Faisal
Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul Aziz
Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud , also known as Saud Al Faisal, has been the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia since 1975. He is the world's longest-serving Foreign Minister....
condemned the kidnapping, adding that he hoped the kidnappers would soon release Johnston, saying that this was "certainly ... not something that anybody, anybody would approve of" and that Johnston was just "doing his job".
Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
and Cardiff University (which Johnston attended) also both issued calls for Johnston's release. The deputy director of the university's journalism centre noted that the kidnapping "deprived Palestine of an objective reporter relaying its news to the West."
A new three-day strike was planned by journalists in the lead-up to the fourth week of Johnston's kidnapping. The strike included a ban on covering all government activities and the Palestinian Authority in general. Simultaneous demonstrations and protests were also planned for 2 April in both Gaza and Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
. On the day itself, over three hundred journalists held a demonstration in Gaza with their mouths tied and gagged. They then marched to the city's government area. Another such protest was held in Ramallah in front of Abbas' office.
The three-day strike meant that a meeting between United States Speaker of the House
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-CA
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) and Abbas was boycotted by the local media. That same day, UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura
Koichiro Matsuura
is a Japanese diplomat. He is the former Director-General of UNESCO. He was first elected in 1999 to a six-year term and reelected on 12 October 2005 for four years, following a reform instituted by the 29th session of the General Conference...
added his voice to those calling for Johnston's release. He noted that the situation was "increasingly disturbing", and asked authorities to "do their utmost to obtain his release as quickly as possible".
On 4 April, the protesting journalists forced the cancellation of a rare meeting of Parliament in Gaza after the entrance to the Parliament building was blocked by the protesters. Some of the lawmakers then stood and listened to the protest. The next day, Britain's Consul-General in Jerusalem Richard Makepeace met with Prime Minister Haniya, breaking a ban by the European Union on contacts with Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
. British diplomats stressed that the meeting was only to discuss Johnston's kidnapping and did not "represent a change of policy". Makepeace's office emphasised that the meeting was "strictly for humanitarian reasons", while Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
quoted some diplomats as saying that it was generally agreed that the boycott of Hamas could be relaxed in emergencies like kidnappings.
Palestinian children took part in a demonstration on 6 April to call for Johnston's release. The children held banners and carried his picture when demonstrating in the streets. Johnston was also spoken of at Friday prayers. Fresh protests were held in Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
, Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
, Jenin
Jenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
and Gaza City the next day by Palestinian journalists, who held banners condemning Johnston's abduction. The Palestinian Cabinet held a special meeting the next day to discuss Johnston's case, and directed that "all necessary measures" should be taken to secure Johnston's freedom.
On Easter Sunday, 8 April 2007, Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
John Sentamu
John Sentamu
John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu is the 97th Archbishop of York, Metropolitan of the province of York, and Primate of England. He is the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.-Life and career:...
included Johnston in his Easter prayers, calling him a "symbol of ensuring the freedom of the press is not violated". It was reported the same day that about one thousand British journalists would send protest emails to Abbas over the continued abduction of Johnston.
Four weeks after Johnston's disappearance, his BBC colleagues once again got together in London to show support for the missing reporter. The BBC's head of news-gathering, Fran Unsworth, commented that Johnston was "incarcerated", and voiced concerns about Johnston's mental state and general health, adding that "the longer it goes on the more concerned that we become". Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
ian journalists also urged the release of Johnston that same week, calling his abduction "a violation of the freedom of press", as well as claiming that it "extends a service to the Israeli occupation forces which commit the ugliest crimes against the Palestinian people." The Jordan Press Association urged the Palestinian authorities to do all it could to ensure his release, and to "conduct an investigation" on those who "committed this unjustifiable act."
The Palestinian government
Palestinian government
-Organizations:These organizations are claiming or executing authority over the Palestinian territories and people*Palestine Liberation Organization, the official representative of the Palestinian people before the international community...
apologised again on 10 April that Johnston was still missing. Mustafa Barghouti
Mustafa Barghouti
Mustafa Barghouti is a Palestinian democracy activist. He was a candidate for the presidency of the Palestinian National Authority in 2005, finishing second to Mahmoud Abbas, with 19% of the vote.Barghouti was born in Jerusalem...
repeated that the government was making every effort to find Johnston, and said that the government was "deeply sorry", adding that the kidnapping was "detrimental to our national cause."
Alan Johnston Day of Action
On 12 April, a full month after Johnston was last seen, the BBC held an "Alan Johnston Day of Action" with events in London, Scotland and the Palestinian Territories to mark the day. Director-General of the BBCDirector-General of the BBC
The Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation is chief executive and editor-in-chief of the BBC.The position was formerly appointed by the Board of Governors of the BBC and is now appointed by the BBC Trust....
Mark Thompson
Mark Thompson
Mark John Thompson is Director-General of the BBC, a post he has held since 2004, and a former chief executive of Channel 4...
gave a news conference in Ramallah, and made another appeal for Johnston's release. He said that Johnston "had formed many strong friendships", and was "held in great affection and regard by those who know him." He repeated Fran Unsworth's comments made days earlier, saying that the BBC was "increasingly concerned about the physical and mental toll" of Johnston's "incarceration". Thompson also said that "Alan had been looking forward to returning to his staff post in London in the BBC World Service newsroom" because "Gaza [had] become an increasingly difficult and chaotic place for journalists to operate in safely", seemingly dispelling rumours that he had staged his own kidnapping because he did not want to be transferred. He also thanked the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate for "highlighting Alan's suffering", and the people of Gaza.
Johnston's father Graham once again issued a new plea to the kidnappers to free his son. In an open letter, the senior Johnston addressed his son's kidnappers, telling them to "please think about what this is doing to my family." Again, he asked the kidnappers to "please let my son go now, today." Addressing his son, he said that the family "wanted you to know how distressed and sorry we all are that you were taken," adding that despite warnings from his son that being kidnapped was a possibility, "when it came, it was still a considerable shock." He ended the open letter by saying that "all our heartfelt warmest fondest love is sent to you from all your family and in the fervent hope that you will be released unharmed."
BBC World
BBC World
BBC World News is the BBC's international news and current affairs television channel. It has the largest audience of any BBC channel in the world...
, BBC News 24
BBC News 24
BBC News is the BBC's 24-hour rolling news television network in the United Kingdom. The channel launched as BBC News 24 on 9 November 1997 at 17:30 as part of the BBC's foray into digital domestic television channels, becoming the first competitor to Sky News, which had been running since 1989...
, Al Jazeera English and Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
agreed to simulcast a special programme dedicated to bringing the plight of Johnston to people. The thirty-minute broadcast, fronted by Jeremy Bowen
Jeremy Bowen
Jeremy Francis John Bowen is a Welsh journalist and television presenter. He was the BBC's Middle East correspondent based in Jerusalem between 1995 and 2000, and has been its Middle East Editor since 2005.-Background:...
, contained reports from Al Jazeera, Sky and CNN International
CNN International
CNN International is an international English language television network that carries news, current affairs, politics, opinions, and business programming worldwide. CNN is one of the world's largest news organizations. It is owned by Time Warner, and is affiliated with CNN, which is mainly...
. Bowen began by noting that "about the only good thing to come out of the last month is the way Alan's colleagues, especially here in the occupied Palestinian territories, have rallied around him." It was the first such effort made jointly by global news networks.
Reporters Without Borders also organised a rally at Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
in central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
in support of the missing journalist. The rally was attended by Johnston's parents. A rally was also held in Gaza, calling on the Palestinian government to do more. In a statement, RSF stated that it was "unacceptable that a journalist should be used as a bargaining chip in an abduction", and asked "What are the authorities waiting for to obtain his release?"
Second month
On 12 April, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moonBan Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
issued a call for Johnston's release, stating that his kidnappers "should release him unconditionally and immediately." The Secretary-General extended his sympathies to Johnston's family and promised to do all in his power to secure Johnston's release.
16 April marked the fifth week since Johnston's disappearance. Despite unconfirmed claims of his execution, new vigils and protests were held for Johnston. BBC staff held its weekly vigils for Johnston, led by Mark Thompson, who confirmed that the BBC was still looking for clarification about Johnston's well-being. Thompson also praised the reporter's family. Journalists also held protests in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, and in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium outside the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
building.
A new protest was held by Palestinian journalists outside the Gaza Parliament on 17 April. However, armed guards outside the building turned violent against the protesters, hitting them with their rifles, leading one journalist to comment that "we came peacefully, but we are being assaulted now." Three journalists were injured. RSF condemned the violence, saying that it was "outraged by this violence against journalists who had gone to express their fears and emotion about Johnston's fate."
On 18 April, Marwan Barghouti
Marwan Barghouti
Marwan Hasib Ibrahim Barghouti is a Palestinian political figure. He is regarded as a leader of the First and Second Intifadas. Barghouti at one time supported the peace process, but later became disillusioned, and after 2000 went on to become the main figure behind the Al-Aqsa Intifada in the...
, a Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
leader in prison in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
called on Johnston's kidnappers to free the journalist "from my cell, and in the name of 10,000 prisoners in the occupation jails". Aidan White, general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists
International Federation of Journalists
International Federation of Journalists, IFJ, is a global union federation of journalists' trade unions—the largest in the world. The organization aims to protect and strengthen the rights and freedoms of journalists...
, announced that he would visit Gaza to deliver a letter to the Palestinian Authority, signed by 200 European MPs
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
, which asked the PA to "make every effort" to ensure Johnston was freed. The 200 MEPs also called on the European Union to take stronger action. The European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
would later unanimously
Unanimity
Unanimity is agreement by all people in a given situation. When unanimous, everybody is of the same mind and acting together as one. Though unlike uniformity, it does not constitute absolute agreement. Many groups consider unanimous decisions a sign of agreement, solidarity, and unity...
support a resolution on 25 April urging the immediate release of Johnston, with the resolution's proposer saying it sent "a strong political signal" for his release.
On 23 April, various prayer meetings and vigils were held for the missing reporter, exactly six weeks after he went missing. A vigil was held in Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, and an inter-religious service was held at a church in London. The London vigil was attended by a senior rabbi at the west London synagogue, the vicar at the church, Reverend Nicholas Holtam, as well as the chairman of the United Kingdom Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony. The missing journalist's sister also attended the weekly vigil with BBC Scotland staff in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
The next day, Palestinian deputy prime minister Azzam al-Ahmad
Azzam al-Ahmad
Azzam al-Ahmad . He also received a BA in Economics from Baghdad University. Head of the General Union of Palestinian Students in Iraq from 1971-4; deputy head of GUPS Executive Committee from 1974–80; Palestine Liberation Organization ambassador to Iraq from 1979-94...
told Richard Makepeace that Johnston was "in good health" and emphasised that the "government is fully co-ordinating with the presidency and all security services to pursue the extensive efforts to release Johnston". New protests were held by the National Union of Journalists
National Union of Journalists
The National Union of Journalists is a trade union for journalists in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1907 and has 38,000 members. It is a member of the International Federation of Journalists .-Structure:...
in London, and by foreign journalists on both ends of the Erez Crossing
Erez Crossing
The Erez Crossing is a pedestrian/cargo terminal on the Israeli Gaza Strip barrier. It is located in the northern end of the Gaza Strip, on the border with Israel.It is part of a complex formerly including the Erez Industrial Park....
in Gaza and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. In Asia, a protest was held in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
on the 49th day since Johnston's disappearance. Azzam al-Ahmad repeated Palestinian claims that Johnston was "alive" when meeting with visiting MEPs the same day. However, at this point there had still not been any direct confirmation of Johnston's condition. Later that day, al-Ahmad told a press conference that Johnston's kidnappers had made new demands, all of which had been rejected, and added that the negotiations were at a "sensitive stage".
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
, Secretary-General Ban again said that he wanted to "plead for the immediate release of the BBC journalist Alan Johnston, abducted in Gaza." In London, a moment of silence was observed at the Sony Radio Academy Awards
Sony Radio Academy Awards
The Sony Radio Academy Awards , started in 1983, are some of the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. They are run by ZAFER Associates in association with the Radio Academy...
ceremony, and John Humphrys
John Humphrys
Desmond John Humphrys , is a Welsh-born British author, journalist and presenter of radio and television, who has won many national broadcasting awards...
, who won the award for news journalist of the year, said that Johnston and other BBC correspondents in danger zones deserved the award more than he did.
On 2 May, it was revealed that the British Government rejected a proposal by the Palestinian Authority to use force in a possible rescue attempt to free Johnston, due to worries about his safety in such a situation. Ismail Haniyeh also said that progress had been made in negotiations with Johnston's kidnappers, and the kidnappers had lowered their demands for his release. The same day, British Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
was questioned in Parliament about British efforts to free the journalist. Lee Scott, a British MP, had called on Prime Minister Blair to use the time before he stepped down from office to try to free Johnston as well as Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit is an Israeli – French citizen and Israel Defense Forces soldier. On 25 June 2006, he was captured inside Israel by Hamas militants in a cross-border raid via underground tunnels near the border with Gaza. The Hamas militants held him for over five years, until he was released on...
. Blair told the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
that there was "no conceivable reason for him (Johnston) to be kept", and that the Government would "continue to do everything we can to facilitate" Johnston's release. In Ireland, top Catholic and Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
leaders also called for his immediate release.
World Press Freedom Day
World Press Freedom Day
The United Nations General Assembly declared 3 May to be World Press Freedom Day to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of...
, 3 May, was Johnston's 52nd day in captivity. Gatherings were held worldwide for the missing journalist, with vigils in London, Beijing and Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and a rally outside United Nations headquarters
United Nations headquarters
The headquarters of the United Nations is a complex in New York City. The complex has served as the official headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1952. It is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River...
in New York City. Asha-Rose Migiro
Asha-Rose Migiro
Asha-Rose Mtengeti Migiro is a Tanzanian lawyer and politician. On January 5, 2007, she was named as the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. She was formally appointed and assumed office on February 1. She is married to Cleophas Migiro, and the couple has two daughters...
, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General
The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations is an office created to handle many of the administrative responsibilities, help manage Secretariat operations, and ensure coherence of activities and programmes. The post was formally established by the General Assembly at the end of 1997...
, said that there was "no cause... served" by the continued detention of Johnston, and a minute's silence was held. The rally at the UN was also attended by UN officials and journalists. At the candlelight vigil in Jakarta, a message from Johnston's father was read out by a British embassy staff member, and it said in part that the family was "overwhelmed" with the support it had received. A minute's silence was also observed at a candlelight vigil in Beijing. The same day, at the Natali Prize awards ceremony for news articles on human rights and democracy, European Commissioner for Development & Humanitarian Aid
European Commissioner for Development & Humanitarian Aid
The Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response is a member of the European Commission. The post is currently held by Kristalina Georgieva....
Louis Michel
Louis Michel
Louis H. O. Ch. Michel is a Belgian politician. He served in the government of Belgium as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2004 and was European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid from 2004 to 2009. Since 2009, he has been a Member of the European Parliament...
joined calls for Johnston's release.
A news conference was held by Reporters Without Borders on the same day, which brought together former hostages in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Gaza. Steve Centanni
Steve Centanni
Steven James Centanni is an American news reporter for Fox News Channel.-Journalism career:Centanni joined FNC in 1996. He is currently based in Washington D.C. as a national correspondent....
, who was held hostage for two weeks in Gaza in 2006, said that his thoughts were with Johnston, and ten top representatives of Europe's Muslims condemned the kidnapping and called for his release.
The start of Johnston's ninth week in captivity came with reports in a Palestinian newspaper that Johnston's kidnappers had set three requirements for his release. They demanded a plot of land, a $5 million ransom, and the release of Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi
Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi
Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi is a would-be female suicide bomber, who took part in the 2005 Amman bombings in Jordan but survived when her explosive belt failed to detonate...
, imprisoned in Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
for attempting to carry out a suicide bombing
Suicide attack
A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :...
in the 2005 Amman bombings
2005 Amman bombings
The 2005 Amman bombings were a series of coordinated bomb attacks on three hotels in Amman, Jordan, on 9 November 2005. The attacks killed 60 people and injured 115 others. The explosions—at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, the Radisson SAS Hotel, and the Days Inn—started at around 20:50 local time at the...
. However, the reports also noted that negotiations for his release remained difficult and that he would not likely be released soon.
Richard Makepeace met a second time with Palestinian Prime Minister Haniya over Johnston's continued incommunicado situation on 8 May. He described the meeting as part of "continuous contacts over this humanitarian case", adding that the "unfortunate incident is of great concern to the British government."
Canadian journalists held a protest outside CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
headquarters in Toronto on 10 May to mark Johnston's 60th day in captivity. Many seasoned Canadian journalists spoke of the need to free Johnston, and commented on Johnston's journalism and the deteriorating situation in Gaza, with Brian Stewart
Brian Stewart (journalist)
Brian Stewart, one of Canada's most experienced journalists, is host of the foreign affairs show CBC News: Our World as well as senior correspondent of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's flagship news hour The National....
commenting that "we have finally reached the end of the line ... enough is enough."
A rally was held outside the equivalent of a Palestinian embassy in Paris on 11 May, attended by RSF activists, BBC staff and the Palestinian representative to France. The representative, Hind Khoury, called the kidnapping a "cowardly act" and re-emphasised that the authorities in the Palestinian Authority were doing their best every day to get Johnston freed unharmed.
Claim of execution
On 15 April, one day before the fifth week since his disappearance, a previously-unknown militant Palestinian group claiming to be linked to al-QaedaAl-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
claimed that it had executed him. The group vowed to release a video of the execution, further claiming in a statement that they "were surprised by the position of the Palestinian Authority, which attempted to hide the case as much as it could and to present the case in an untruthful manner, leading us unfortunately to kill the journalist".
The BBC and the Foreign Office immediately confirmed to Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse is a French news agency, the oldest one in the world, and one of the three largest with Associated Press and Reuters. It is also the largest French news agency. Currently, its CEO is Emmanuel Hoog and its news director Philippe Massonnet...
that they were both "urgently" investigating the reports, and the BBC added that it was "deeply concerned about what it is hearing", highlighting the growing concern for the safety of Alan Johnston. However, the BBC also emphasised that the claims were "rumour with no independent verification". A spokesman for 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
said that the British government was "working closely with the Palestinian Authority" and "urgently seeking information from them".
The Palestinian Interior Ministry raised doubts about the claims, and said that they believed that Johnston was still being held by someone else, and this declaration was an attempt to pressure the Palestinian government. The claims also led to concern among Palestinian journalists that Johnston may have been injured in the kidnapping, and the kidnappers were now looking for reasons to kill the reporter.
Johnston's parents urged the kidnappers to "end [their] ordeal", describing the incident as a "desperately worrying time". Speculation then emerged that Johnston's kidnappers may have sold the captive on to a third party. Reporters Without Borders also expressed "deep concern" about Johnston's fate, saying that the reports of his death "deeply [disturbing]" but also advised caution "as long as there is no evidence confirming that Johnston has been murdered."
However, a ransom demand was issued on 17 April, which seemingly conflicted with the claims that Johnston had been killed. Asharq Alawsat
Asharq Alawsat
Asharq Al-Awsat is an Arabic international newspaper headquartered in London. A pioneer of the "off-shore" model in the Arabic press, the paper is often noted for its distinctive green-tinted pages....
reported that Johnston's kidnappers wanted US$5 million for his release. On 19 April, President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
told reporters his intelligence services had confirmed that the journalist was still alive, which both the reporter's family and the BBC described as "good news".
Third month
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
John Sentamu
John Sentamu
John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu is the 97th Archbishop of York, Metropolitan of the province of York, and Primate of England. He is the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.-Life and career:...
appealed to Johnston's captors to set him free in an appeal broadcast on al-Jazeera. The International Press Institute
International Press Institute
International Press Institute is a global organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of press freedom and the improvement of journalism practices. Founded in October 1950, the IPI has members in over 120 countries....
also repeated its call at its annual global meeting in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
for Johnston's release.
The next day, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
joined international condemnations of the kidnap, with a foreign ministry spokesman, Mohammad Ali Hosseini
Mohammad Ali Hosseini
Mohammad Ali Hosseini is the vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran. He is the current spokesman of the Ministry and Vice Minister of parliamentary affairs.-References:...
, saying that kidnapping was not acceptable to Iran, and that Iran rejected kidnapping as a "matter of principle."
Johnston's 45th birthday, on 17 May, saw gatherings of journalists and politicians at rallies worldwide, in Hong Kong, Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
and Moscow. The British Government also confirmed that it was holding discussions with an arrested Islamic cleric, Abu Qatada
Abu Qatada
Abû-Qatâda al-Filisṭînî , sometimes called Abû-Omar is an Islamist militant. Under the name Omar Mahmoud Othman , he is under worldwide embargo by the United Nations Security Council Committee 1267 for his affiliation with al-Qaeda...
, whom Johnston's alleged kidnappers demanded be freed, after Qatada offered to travel to Gaza to help free Johnston. The BBC had earlier reacted to Qatada's offer by saying that they "[welcomed] any assistance from any individual who might be in a position to influence the release of Alan Johnston".
The BBC also broadcast special reports, interviews and birthday greetings to the missing journalist on BBC radio and television in the possibility that Johnston had access to either.
A Palestinian government spokesman of Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
said on 27 May that he had hope for Johnston to soon be released. Ghazi Hamad
Ghazi Hamad
Ghazi Hamad isChairman of the border crossings authority in the Gaza StripHe holds a Bachelor degree in Veterinary Medicine [1] and speaks both English and Hebrew in addition to his native Arabic....
said that he "[knew]" Johnston to be "well and healthy", adding that no-one "has tried to harm or hurt him". Hamad also said that he hoped "to make [Johnston's release] very, very fast."
On 29 May, a Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese al-Jazeera cameraman who had been held without charge at Guantanamo Bay since 2001 issued a statement through his lawyer asking for Johnston's release. Sami Mohy El Din Muhammed Al Hajj
Sami Mohy El Din Muhammed Al Hajj
Sami Mohy El Din Muhammed Al Hajj , aka Sami Al-Haj is a Sudanese journalist for the Al Jazeera network. In 2001, while on his way to do camera work for the network in Afghanistan, he was arrested by the Pakistani army and held in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camp in Cuba for over...
's letter compared his extrajudicial detention
Extrajudicial detention
Arbitrary or extrajudicial detention is the detention of individuals by a state, without ever laying formal charges against them.Although it has a long history of legitimate use in wartime , detention without charge, sometimes in secret, has been one of the hallmarks of totalitarian states...
by the U.S. to Johnston's captivity. "What the Americans are doing to me is very, very wrong ... this is not a lesson that Muslims should copy."
On 1 June, a video was released by the Palestinian Army of Islam
Palestinian Army of Islam
Army of Islam , also known as Tawhid and Jihad Brigades, is the name used by the Doghmush Hamula for their Islamic militant activities. It is located at the Tzabra neighborhood in the center of the Gaza Strip bordered by Israel and Egypt...
saying that it was holding Johnston. Johnston appeared in the video and said that he had been treated well and was in good health, but it is unclear when the video was taken, and whether he was forced to say what he did under duress.
Fourth month
On 16 June, after HamasHamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
had taken full control
Battle of Gaza (2007)
The Battle of Gaza was a military conflict between Hamas and Fatah that took place between June 7 and 15, 2007 in the Gaza Strip. After winning Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, Hamas and Fatah formed the Palestinan authority national unity government in 2007, headed by Ismail Haniya. In...
of Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
following attacks on Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
positions, a Hamas spokesman told a news conference that it had told the Army of Islam to free Johnston "immediately" and had "warned against not setting him free", describing Johnston as the Palestinians' guest.
The Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
cited a person "close to the negotiations" for Johnston's release as saying that Johnston was expected to be freed within a day, and the BBC confirmed that it knew of the reports about a possible release, but noted that the volatile situation in Gaza was a concern. This mirrored the view of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
, which said they were "very worried" about Johnston in the lawlessness of Gaza. However, after no news of a release, a spokesman claiming to speak for the Army of Islam said that while there had been "developments" in discussions, "if things get worse we will get closer to God by killing this journalist."
Reporters Without Borders immediately expressed its concern at the threat to kill Johnston, saying in a press release that they were "very worried" about "the irrational demands being made by Johnston’s abductors, the radicalisation of their position and their threat to kill him". Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
reacted to the claim by issuing an ultimatum
Ultimatum
An ultimatum is a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat to be followed through in case of noncompliance. An ultimatum is generally the final demand in a series of requests...
against the kidnappers, warning that it would use military force to free Johnston if he was not freed by the end of Monday, 18 June, to which the Foreign Office expressed deep concern. Kim Howells
Kim Howells
Kim Scott Howells is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Pontypridd from 1989 to 2010, and held a number of ministerial positions within the Government.-Biography:...
of the Foreign Office noted that the situation had to be "handled with great delicacy", and that "we hope that they are not using this as some sort of publicity stunt to win favour with some elements in the West." Johnston himself, however, said he felt they had been "...the key factor in creating the conditions in which I could be freed."
Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar
Mahmoud al-Zahar
Mahmoud al-Zahar is a co-founder of Hamas and a member of the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip. Since the formation of the Hamas/"Change and Reform" government in the Palestinian National Authority in March 2006, al-Zahar has served as foreign minister in the government of prime minister Ismail...
announced on 19 June, Johnston's 99th day in captivity, that he had secured a promise from the Army of Islam to release Johnston by 25 June, after Hamas extended its ultimatum for his release. This news came ahead of planned global events by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and RSF to mark Johnston's 100th day in captivity.
The Jerusalem Post reported on 22 June that Johnston had not yet been freed because the leader of the group claiming to hold Johnston wanted assurances that he and his clan members would not be killed. Mumtaz Dagmoush and a brother of his were wanted by Hamas on charges of being involved with the murder of Hamas members. However, a Hamas source told the Jerusalem Post that "we will negotiate with them about their safety only after they release the journalist".
On 24 June, Ismail Haniyeh, a senior political leader of Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
, said that Johnston had been seen on video with explosives strapped around his waist. The BBC confirmed that it was "aware" of the video, and appealed again for his release, saying that it was "very distressing for Alan's family and colleagues to see him being threatened in this way".
On the day 16 weeks into Johnston's captivity, Hamas announced that it had arrested members of the Army of Islam, saying that the arrests took place since "peaceful means failed to free" Johnston. It also announced that an Army of Islam spokesman was among those detained after he allegedly shot at Hamas militants. Two days later Hamas forces began surrounding the area the Dugmush clan was known to control in Gaza. Whilst members of Hamas' Executive Forces claimed that the operation was the start of an attempt to free Johnston by force, the BBC reiterated its request that the journalist not be freed by military action.
Print and online petitions
To mark the twenty-first day of Johnston's kidnapping, three hundred British media personalities signed an advertisement, organised by the BBC, that was published in The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
. The advertisement states that the signatories "demand the immediate release of BBC
Gaza correspondent, Alan Johnston". The advertisement "[asks] again that everyone with influence on this situation increase their efforts, to ensure that Alan is freed quickly and unharmed."
It was signed by most editors of British national newspapers, including Alan Rusbridger
Alan Rusbridger
Alan Charles Rusbridger is the editor of the British newspaper The Guardian. He has also been a reporter and a columnist.-Early life:...
, Robert Thomson
Robert James Thomson
Robert James Thomson is an Australian journalist and the managing editor of the Wall Street Journal. He is former editor of The Times newspaper in London, England. On 20 May 2008 News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch named Thomson as the paper's new managing editor, succeeding Marcus Brauchli...
, John Witherow
John Witherow
John Witherow is a journalist, who is the editor of the Sunday Times.He migrated to Britain in the late 1950s and later attended Bedford School and the University of York....
, Patience Wheatcroft
Patience Wheatcroft
Patience Wheatcroft, Baroness Wheatcroft is a British journalist who was editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal Europe. She left this role upon becoming a peer....
, Will Lewis, Paul Dacre
Paul Dacre
Paul Michael Dacre is a British journalist and current editor of the British newspaper the Daily Mail. He is also editor in chief of the Mail group titles, which also includes The Mail on Sunday. He is also a director of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc and was a member of the Press Complaints...
and Richard Wallace
Richard Wallace (journalist)
Richard Wallace is the current editor of British newspaper the Daily Mirror.Wallace began his Fleet Street career working for the Daily Mail and The Sun. In 1990 he joined the Daily Mirror. During Piers Morgan's editorship of the paper he became show business editor before becoming head of news in...
. Other signatories included David Dimbleby
David Dimbleby
David Dimbleby is a British BBC TV commentator and a presenter of current affairs and political programmes, most notably the BBC's flagship political show Question Time, and more recently, art, architectural history and history series...
, Sir David Frost
David Frost (broadcaster)
Sir David Paradine Frost, OBE is a British journalist, comedian, writer, media personality and daytime TV game show host best known for his two decades as host of Through the Keyhole and serious interviews with various political figures, the most notable being Richard Nixon...
, Jon Snow
Jon Snow
Jon Snow is an English journalist and presenter, currently employed by ITN. He is best known for presenting Channel 4 News.He was Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University from 2001 to 2008.-Early life:...
, Christiane Amanpour
Christiane Amanpour
Christiane Amanpour, CBE is anchor of ABC News's This Week and formerly chief international correspondent at CNN, where she worked for 27 years. She is a Board Member at the IWMF .-Early years:...
and Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
's Wadah Khanfar
Wadah Khanfar
Wadah Khanfar was the Director General of the Al Jazeera Network. He has been ranked by Fast Company as the first in the 100 Most Creative People in Business and as one of the most ‘Powerful People in the World’ by Forbes Magazine...
.
That same day, the BBC news website created an online version of the petition to allow people from across the world to sign it. The petition closed a few days later on 5 April. The petition was later re-opened on 12 April, a full month after Johnston's kidnapping.
On 3 July, the online petition registered its 200,000th signatory calling for Johnston's release.
Release
On 4 July, Johnston was freed by his captors and handed over to HamasHamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
officials. Johnston said he was "tired", but "in good health", and thanked those who pushed for his release. He also confirmed that he had access to the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
for much of his captivity and had heard the worldwide calls for his release on shows like World Have Your Say and Newshour
Newshour
Newshour is BBC World Service's flagship international news and current affairs programme, which broadcasts twice daily: at 1400 and 2100 each edition lasting one hour. It consists of news bulletins on the hour and half hour, international interviews and in-depth reports of world news...
. He described his captivity as an "appalling experience".
Johnston met with Haniya immediately after being freed before leaving for Jerusalem. He later also met Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
and Salam Fayyad
Salam Fayyad
Salam Fayyad is a Palestinian politician and Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority of the Palestinian National Authority. His first appointment, on 15 June 2007, which was justified by President Mahmoud Abbas on the basis of "national emergency", has not been confirmed by the...
in Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
before returning home, arriving in London on 7 July from Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
.
Reactions
Reaction to the news from around the world that Johnston had been freed was positive:- Johnston's father Graham described the family as being "absolutely overjoyed" after receiving the phone call from the BBC that Johnston had been freed.
- The BBC said in a statement that they were "delighted and extremely relieved" that Johnston had been freed safely, and thanked "all of those who worked tirelessly - here and in the wider Middle East - to secure his freedom." Sir Michael Lyons, chairman of the BBC, praised Johnston's "remarkable courage".
- Gordon BrownGordon BrownJames Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
, British Prime Minister, said that he and the whole country would "welcome the news" that Johnston had been freed, while British Foreign Secretary David MilibandDavid MilibandDavid Wright Miliband is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for South Shields since 2001, and was the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2007 to 2010. He is the elder son of the late Marxist theorist Ralph Miliband...
described abductions as "an abhorrent crime" and recognised the role of Mahmoud AbbasMahmoud AbbasMahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
, Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas in achieving Johnston's freedom.- A senior aide to Abbas, Yasser Abd RabboYasser Abd RabboYasser Abd Rabbo is a Palestinian politician and a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee. He holds an M.A...
, described the release as having been staged by Hamas and the Army of Islam as a public relations exercise. Abbas himself said that he was "very happy for the release of our friend". 
Ismail Haniyeh described Johnston as "the friend of the Palestinian people", emphasising that freeing him had been Hamas' main priority. Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal said that "as Palestinians, [we are] very happy to reach this point, which is the release of Mr Alan Johnston."
- A senior aide to Abbas, Yasser Abd Rabbo
- IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark RegevMark RegevMark Regev , formerly Mark Freiberg, is an Australian-born Israeli diplomat and media spokesman. He is currently the spokesman for the Prime Minister of Israel and an advisor on foreign press and public affairs, a position he has held since his appointment by the former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert...
expressed solidarity with Johnston's family, saying that Israel knew "how difficult it has been for his family and friends", and expressed hope that Gilad ShalitGilad ShalitGilad Shalit is an Israeli – French citizen and Israel Defense Forces soldier. On 25 June 2006, he was captured inside Israel by Hamas militants in a cross-border raid via underground tunnels near the border with Gaza. The Hamas militants held him for over five years, until he was released on...
would similarly soon be freed. - Bernard KouchnerBernard KouchnerBernard Kouchner is a French politician, diplomat, and doctor. He is co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières and Médecins du Monde...
, French Foreign Minister, said he was "delighted" with Johnston's release, and noted that Johnston's release ought to "encourage all of the parties concerned to commit themselves to creating a climate favourable to the resumption of peace negotiations". - The UN Secretary-GeneralUnited Nations Secretary-GeneralThe Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat of the United Nations, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also acts as the de facto spokesperson and leader of the United Nations....
Ban Ki-moonBan Ki-moonBan Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
released a statement through his spokesman, in which he said he was "profoundly relieved" that Johnston had been freed, and commended Johnston's "dignity and resilience in captivity". - Johnston himself has expressed a desire to "return to obscurity" now that he is released.
See also
- 2006 Fox journalists kidnapping2006 Fox journalists kidnappingFox News Channel journalists Olaf Wiig , a New Zealand photojournalist, and Steve Centanni, an American reporter, were kidnapped in the Gaza Strip by the Holy Jihad Brigades, a previously unknown group of Palestinian militants, from their TV van near the Palestinian security services' headquarters...
- Steve CentanniSteve CentanniSteven James Centanni is an American news reporter for Fox News Channel.-Journalism career:Centanni joined FNC in 1996. He is currently based in Washington D.C. as a national correspondent....
- John McCarthyJohn McCarthy (journalist)John Patrick McCarthy CBE is a British journalist, writer and broadcaster, and one of the hostages in the Lebanon hostage crisis...
- Yvonne RidleyYvonne RidleyYvonne Ridley is a British journalist, war correspondent and Respect Party activist best known for her capture by the Taliban and subsequent conversion to Islam after release, her outspoken opposition to Zionism, and her criticism of Western media portrayals of the War on Terror...
- Gilad ShalitGilad ShalitGilad Shalit is an Israeli – French citizen and Israel Defense Forces soldier. On 25 June 2006, he was captured inside Israel by Hamas militants in a cross-border raid via underground tunnels near the border with Gaza. The Hamas militants held him for over five years, until he was released on...
- Olaf Wiig
External links
- BBC News Profile: Alan Johnston
- Alan Johnston: My kidnap ordeal
- BBC News: Alan Johnston petition
- BBC News: The Editors Blog: How You Can Help
- Guardian Unlimited: Comment is free - commentary by Lalia El-Haddad on Johnston's kidnapping
- CNN: Behind the scenes - commentary by Ben Wedeman on Johnston's kidnapping
- Letter to Alan and his abductors - regular commentator for the BBC and director of a Palestinian NGO's letter to Johnston
- Moderated BBC "Have Your Say" forum for comments to Alan Johnston
- Free Alan Johnson website
- Reporters Without Borders campaign for Johnston