Death threat: reporter still held

A PALESTINIAN militant group holding BBC reporter Alan Johnston last night denied any deal to free the man abducted in Gaza three months ago and said he would only be released if its demands were met.

“Freeing this detainee has not been part of any deal with any faction or organisation. What appears on television screens and through the media here and there are untrue,” a man identified as a spokesman for the Army of Islam in Gaza told Al Jazeera television.

A Hamas official said earlier Mr Johnston would be released within hours.

“If they do not meet our demands there will be no release for that detainee and if things become more difficult ... then we would seek God’s satisfaction by slaughtering this journalist,” said the spokesman, identified as Abu Khatab.