Alan Johnston, the BBC reporter who was being held hostage for
months in the Gaza Strip, has been released, the Islamic Resistance
Movement (Hamas) said Wednesday.
"He was freed following an agreement with his kidnappers and he
is in good health," Hamas said in a statement.
After his release, Johnston was taken to the home of former
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas in a refugee camp
in Gaza City, where he was received by his colleagues.
Meanwhile, Hamas' exiled leader Khaled Meshaal, who is based in
the Syrian capital of Damascus, said Johnston's release showed that
his group was bringing order to the Gaza Strip since it seized
control of the area.
A radical group calling itself the Army of Islam claimed
responsibility for kidnapping Johnston on March 12 and demanded
that Britain free al Qaida leaders in exchange of the release of
the reporter.
Hamas had demanded Johnston's freedom since it seized control of
Gaza last month.
In recent days, the Army of Islam and Hamas exchanged prisoners
during negotiations to free Johnston.
On Tuesday, Hamas militants reinforced presence around the Sabra
neighborhood where the Briton was believed to be held.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoom told reporters in Gaza that his
movement has decided to "end the phenomenon of the Army of Islam,"
which is also committed to murder and kidnapping crimes against
Palestinian families and other foreign journalists.
"The Army of Islam is an armed militia which tries to justify
their criminal actions by Islam," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2007)
