JERUSALEM A group controlled by a family clan in the Gaza Strip today announced it is holding kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston, posting a photo of his identity card and demanding the release of an Islamic cleric who is being held in a British jail after being accused of supporting terrorism. The Army of Islam, headed by the powerful Gaza-based Dugmash clan, released a recording demanding the British government immediately free "our prisoners and particularly Sheik Abu Qatada the Palestinian in exchange for Johnston." Abu Qatada, a Jordanian of Palestinian origin, is accused of having links to terror groups and is currently awaiting deportation to Jordan from Britain.
The Dugmash statement released today included an al-Qaida-style diatribe against the West, posting a slideshow of images from the war in Iraq, Muslim prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Western soldiers praying before a cross. Islamic music plays in the background, and pictures glorifying Abu Qatada are shown repeatedly. "It is a must for Muslims to mobilize against this vicious crusade against Islam s nation .
.. Thus we have managed to take the Briton Alan Johnston as a prisoner," said a voice on the recording.
The recording showed a large picture of Johnston s BBC press card, backing up the Army of Islam s claim it is holding Johnston. Johnston was kidnapped on March 12 in Gaza City and has not been seen or heard from since. It is the longest a foreign correspondent has ever been held captive in Gaza.
A group claiming to be al-Qaida last month said it killed Johnston, but Palestinian security officials discounted that claim, telling WND the kidnappers were likely attempting to exert pressure on the British and Palestinian governments to negotiate Johnston s release. Last month WND quoted senior Palestinian security officials stating Johnston was being held by the Dugmash organization, which was demanding a $5 million ransom. The officials said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other parties involved in the investigations are hesitant to allow the ransom to be paid for fear the money will be used to enhance the position of the Dugmash clan against other Gaza-based factions, including Abbas Fatah organization.
The Dugmash clan is a powerful Gaza-based Palestinian family affiliated with local terrorist organizations and ideologically aligned with global jihad groups. Some members of the Dugmash clan lead the "Saladin resistance department" of the Popular Resistance Committees, a coalition of terrorist organizations operating in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The Committees organization is accused of orchestrating attacks along with groups affiliated with al-Qaida and has carried out anti-American attacks.
Israel says the Committees group was responsible for the bombing of a U.S. convoy in Gaza in 2003 in which three American government contractors were killed.
A significant number of Dugmash clan members left the Committees last year, complaining the group was not "Muslim enough." They formed the Palestine Army of Islam, which bills itself as the closest Palestinian organization ideologically to al-Qaida. The Army of Islam is one of three terrorist groups that claimed responsibility in June for the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Israeli and Palestinian security officials said the Dugmash clan was strongly suspected of kidnapping two Fox News reporters in Gaza in August. They were held for two weeks but later released. WND previously featured an English-language debut exclusive interview with the leader of the Army of Islam, Mumtaz Dugmash, also known as Abu Muhammad.
Abu Muhammad, speaking from Gaza, said last August during the Fox News kidnap ordeal he understood the "necessity" of carrying out abductions of reporters. "This support of America brought the killing of thousands of Palestinians and Muslims all around history. We cannot ignore the atrocities of the Americans in killing Palestinians and Muslims all over the world," said Abu Mohammed.
"We can understand very well our brothers who made this act (of kidnapping) was a desperate act in order to cry out in front of the whole world against the atrocities of the Americans in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Palestine and the subjugation of Muslims all over the region." Are you a representative of the media who would like to interview the author of this story? .
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