This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/6764679.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Hamas issues Johnston ultimatum Hamas issues Johnston ultimatum
(10 minutes later)
Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has threatened to use force to release BBC reporter Alan Johnston by the end of Monday if he is not let free. The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has threatened to use force to release BBC reporter Alan Johnston by the end of Monday if he is not set free.
"Today is the last day for the captors to release Alan Johnston," a senior Hamas official said."Today is the last day for the captors to release Alan Johnston," a senior Hamas official said.
The reporter was abducted in March by a group calling itself The Army of Islam.The reporter was abducted in March by a group calling itself The Army of Islam.
Hamas, which seized control of Gaza last week and was ousted from the Palestinian government, has said reporters should be treated as guests.Hamas, which seized control of Gaza last week and was ousted from the Palestinian government, has said reporters should be treated as guests.
"If he is not released, we would use all means to secure his life and to free him," a senior Hamas official told Reuters news agency.Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar is thought to have issued the threat
The official who made the statement is thought to be Mahmoud Zahhar, the former Palestinian foreign minister who is believed to be the leader of Hamas.
The UK government said the development was "disturbing".
"This has to be handled with great delicacy," said Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells.
"Hamas will know very very well that there are very delicate negotiations that have been going on, and we hope that they are not using this as some sort of publicity stunt to win favour with some elements in the West."
On Friday, Hamas said it would no longer allow Mr Johnston to be held captive and that it was in contact with the journalists' abductors.
The Army of Islam has threatened to kill Mr Johnston if certain Islamist prisoners - in particular Palestinian-born cleric Abu Qatada, who is detained in the UK - are not released.