Captors to free abducted BBC reporter soon: sources

Well-informed Palestinian security sources disclosed Thursday night that the Briton BBC reporter Alan Johnston, who was kidnapped by unknown militants in Gaza 10 days ago, might be freed within the coming few hours.

The sources said in a SMS message that Alan Johnston, who works for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), might be freed within the coming few hours, without disclosing the exact time.

Johnston, BBC bureau chief in Gaza, was abducted by masked militants in central Gaza City on March 12 as he was on his way to an apartment he lives in.

No one has claimed responsibility for kidnapping Johnston and the security sources declined to say who was behind his abduction.

The BBC had called on the Palestinian authority to exert every possible effort to bring Johnston back safely.

Palestinian journalists and human rights organizations demonstrated in Gaza and the West Bank following Johnston's kidnapping, condemning the abduction of foreign journalists and calling on the abductors to free him as immediate as possible.

Source: Xinhua