Webloggin » Alan Johnston Freed From Captivity

British journalist Alan Johnston has been freed from captivity 4 months after being taken hostage by terrorists in the Gaza strip.

BBC correspondent Alan Johnston has been released by kidnappers in Gaza after nearly four months in captivity.

He said it was “fantastic” to be free after an “appalling experience”. TV footage showed Mr Johnston, 45, leaving a building accompanied by armed men. - BBC

According to Johnston he was not tortured although he was in fear due to the unpredictability of the captors.

The British Broadcasting Corp. correspondent said his captors threatened his life a number of times in various ways but were rarely violent, although they hit him in the final moments before he was released. They kept him in solitary confinement throughout his captivity and at one point, chained his hands and ankles for a 24-hour period. He also said he got sick from the food.

“It is just the most fantastic thing to be free,” Johnston said in a telephone interview with the BBC hours after he was freed. “It was an appalling experience, as you can imagine, 16 weeks kidnapped, sometimes, occasionally, quite terrifying and frightening,” he said, speaking from the Gaza home of deposed Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.

As recently as last week, Johnston’s life appeared to be in serious peril when the group holding him posted a video on a militant Web site in which the journalist appeared to be wearing an explosives belt that he said his captors would detonate it if there were an attempt to free him.

While he was in captivity, a civil war raged on the streets of Gaza around him and Israel was bombarding Palestinian militants with airstrikes.

“It became almost hard to imagine normal life again,” Johnston told the BBC in a steady and composed voice. “And I literally dreamt many many times of being free and always woke up back in that room and now it really is over and it is indescribably good to be out,” he said.

“I didn’t know where it was going to end,” he said. “I think I’m OK after an extraordinary level of stress and psychological pressure for a long, long time … I probably got out of it as well as I could have.” - AP

From the reports I predict we will start seeing the new spin that Hamas is a stabilizing force in the area. We can already see the writing on the wall with the following excerpt from the BBC report.

He said Hamas’ seizure of power in Gaza and its subsequent pledge to improve security in the territory had aided his release.

“The kidnappers seemed very comfortable and very secure in their operation until… a few weeks ago, when Hamas took charge of the security operation here,” he said.

The AP of course carries that message one step further.

“We didn’t work to receive favors from the British government. We did this because of humanitarian concern, and to achieve a government aim to extend security to all without fear,” Zahar said.

On Tuesday, Hamas gunmen took positions around the Army of Islam’s stronghold, stepping up the pressure to secure his release. Hamas officials said they were tightening the siege on Johnston’s kidnappers and would spare no efforts to free him.

Still it was not immediately clear why Johnston’s captors chose to release him at this time or under what specific terms he was freed, but Hamas said there would be no crackdown on the Army of Islam.

Ayman Taha, a Hamas spokesman, said Johnston’s captors had responded positively to recent efforts by tribal and religious leaders to end Johnston’s ordeal. Taha said the Army of Islam would not be dismantled or disarmed in return for freeing the reporter.

One must not forget that a tiger can not change his stripes. It would be very unlikely for Hamas to make such a drastic change as well but it would be welcome.

From a political perspective the infighting between Hamas and Fatah hurt the Palestinians from every aspect. The release of Johnston was a necessary move in every aspect. Thankfully he was not harmed in any physical manner.