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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| UK Palestinians in Johnston plea | UK Palestinians in Johnston plea |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Leading members of Britain's Palestinian community are calling for the immediate release of kidnapped BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston. | |
| The main Palestinian representative in the UK, Manuel Hassassian, is taking part in a day of solidarity in London for the reporter. | |
| Mr Johnston was abducted at gunpoint in Gaza City on his way home on 12 March, nine weeks ago today. | Mr Johnston was abducted at gunpoint in Gaza City on his way home on 12 March, nine weeks ago today. |
| A tape allegedly made by his kidnappers was released last week. | A tape allegedly made by his kidnappers was released last week. |
| Issued by a group calling itself the Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), the tape showed the 44-year-old's BBC ID card, and also demanded the release of Muslim prisoners in British jails. | Issued by a group calling itself the Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), the tape showed the 44-year-old's BBC ID card, and also demanded the release of Muslim prisoners in British jails. |
| 'He works for us' | 'He works for us' |
| The solidarity event is being held at a Palestinian restaurant in west London. | |
| It aims to "send a clear message to his kidnappers that the Palestinian community... are appalled by this act", organisers said. | |
| Restaurant owner Mohammed Zomlot, who is from Gaza, said the Palestinian community in the UK wanted to support Mr Johnston. | |
| "I feel that we are the people who really should care about Gaza, and who should care about Alan," he said. | "I feel that we are the people who really should care about Gaza, and who should care about Alan," he said. |
| "Because Alan, at the end of the day, he's one of the people who cares about us and he works for us, and that's why we have a responsibility to protect him, and we have to ask for his immediate release." | "Because Alan, at the end of the day, he's one of the people who cares about us and he works for us, and that's why we have a responsibility to protect him, and we have to ask for his immediate release." |
| The abduction of Mr Johnston, the only Western reporter permanently based in Gaza, has triggered appeals for his release from lawmakers and rights groups around the world. | The abduction of Mr Johnston, the only Western reporter permanently based in Gaza, has triggered appeals for his release from lawmakers and rights groups around the world. |
| Leaders including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair have called for him to be freed. | Leaders including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair have called for him to be freed. |
| On Sunday, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman condemned the kidnapping in the first official comments from Tehran since it happened. | On Sunday, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman condemned the kidnapping in the first official comments from Tehran since it happened. |
| Last week, Alan Johnston was named broadcast journalist of the year by the London Press Club for his work reporting from the Gaza Strip. | Last week, Alan Johnston was named broadcast journalist of the year by the London Press Club for his work reporting from the Gaza Strip. |