BBC journalist freed
Thursday, 5 July 2007
GAZA CITY, July 4 (AFP): BBC journalist Alan Johnston was freed early Wednesday in Gaza City following an agreement with his kidnappers and was in good health, the Islamist movement Hamas said.
Meanwhile, BBC reporter Alan Johnston spoke of his "appalling" experience in captivity and expressed his gratitude to all those who worked for his release, in a telephone interview with BBC television shortly after being freed Wednesday.
"It's just the most fantastic thing, to be free. It was an appalling experience, as you can imagine, 16 weeks kidnapped," he said in the interview from Hamas leader Ismail Haniya's home in Gaza.
"I am hugely grateful to all the people, an amazing number of people, that worked on the Palestinian side, the British government, the BBC from top to bottom, and the huge amount of support from BBC listeners."
The 45-year-old reporter, who was snatched March 12 in Gaza, was kidnapped by a previously little-known militant group called the Army of Islam, which had threatened to kill him if any rescue attempt was made.
Johnston said he had a radio for much of his time in detention, and said the level of interest in his case was a "huge psychological boost."
Asked how he was, Johnston replied: "I think I'm okay. It was an extraordinary level of stress and psychological pressure for a long long time, and obviously difficult to keep your mind in the right place ... a constant battle."
"I do feel I probably got through it as well as I could have. I probably won't know for a while, but I feel as well as I could I think."
Meanwhile, BBC reporter Alan Johnston spoke of his "appalling" experience in captivity and expressed his gratitude to all those who worked for his release, in a telephone interview with BBC television shortly after being freed Wednesday.
"It's just the most fantastic thing, to be free. It was an appalling experience, as you can imagine, 16 weeks kidnapped," he said in the interview from Hamas leader Ismail Haniya's home in Gaza.
"I am hugely grateful to all the people, an amazing number of people, that worked on the Palestinian side, the British government, the BBC from top to bottom, and the huge amount of support from BBC listeners."
The 45-year-old reporter, who was snatched March 12 in Gaza, was kidnapped by a previously little-known militant group called the Army of Islam, which had threatened to kill him if any rescue attempt was made.
Johnston said he had a radio for much of his time in detention, and said the level of interest in his case was a "huge psychological boost."
Asked how he was, Johnston replied: "I think I'm okay. It was an extraordinary level of stress and psychological pressure for a long long time, and obviously difficult to keep your mind in the right place ... a constant battle."
"I do feel I probably got through it as well as I could have. I probably won't know for a while, but I feel as well as I could I think."