He’s free! Oh dear; oh dear; oh dear!
Wednesday, July 4, 2007 at 10:19AM The release of the BBC’s Alan Johnston has of course been a headline on both the news programmes as well as the Today programme, but it seems to me that we are going to hear and see a lot more of this particular name in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. We hear of his captors’ fear as they realise that the Hamas terror organisation has taken over in Gaza, and the simultaneous knowledge that the kidnappers will now be dealing with a shadowy organisation just as ruthless as they are.
As to the rights and wrongs of this broadcast journalist’s detention, I have my own opinion, and that is he should never have been based in that place in the first instance. A confirmed Palestinian sympathiser, his slanted and biassed broadcasts were well known for their praise of all things ‘Pally’, as well as his detestation of Israel’s policies vis-a-vis the Palestinians, especially when he was commenting on his extremely good friend Yasser (It’ll only hurt for a while, and it is only your bum, and no, of course I haven’t got AID’s) Arafat. One comment from the interminable discussion between James Naughtie and Johnson stands out; he said, “As I crossed over to freedom in Israel..” says it all for this Palestinian sympathiser and apologist, as he at least can recognise who, in that very strange land, actually stands for Freedom!
We can now look forward (or not, as the case may be) to reading and hearing:
The trend towards a better type of decoration in confined spaces, by Alan Johnston
Recipes from a Gaza cell, by Alan Johnston
How to field strip a Kalashnikov while blindfolded, by Alan Johnston
How to bore everyone rigid within a thirty yard radius of my voice, by Alan Johnston
It really wasn’t their fault, they were driven to kidnap me by the Israeli occupation/America and Britain’s invasion of Iraq/ N.A.T.O.’s invasion and occupation of a peaceful and democratic Afghanistan/McDonalds’ policies on low rates of pay for it’s employees/ the terrible colour of the alleged Double Gloucester cheese on sale in Waitrose, by Allan Johnston
Musings, while seated and straining on a tin bucket, by Allan Johnston
Acceptance by Terry Waite that his long-lasting title as the owner of the World’s most boring voice is now over, as Allan Johnston was elected by unanimous acclaim to that revered position!
Can't wait!
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Reader Comments (5)
I've been sickened by the way the media have hyped up Hamas part in Johnstone's release. The BBC say "Hamas's seizure of power in Gaza and its subsequent pledge to improve security in the territory had facilitated his release"
Hamas was in power before Johnstone was kidnapped and for all of the time he was "held captive".
There is something suspicious about this whole saga.
It also seems odd that no news report mentions that the release appears to have happened without incident or arrests being made. Instead his "kidnappers" just drove him somewhere where he was handed over to a BBC correspondent (supported by armed gunmen).
I smell fish!
Never quite rang true, did it? Was there collaberation here or what. A BBC Palestinian sympathiser kidnapped by Palestinians of one variety or another.
It's that bloody Terry Waite all over again. They go where it's going to happen then have a free ride for decades.
You smell fish, I smell a rat.
Let's call the whole thing off!
No chance now though; books, magazine articles, documentaries, increase in the BBC license fee....to pay for the ransom...?
rolluprollupreadallaboutit..
....actually you may be wrong Mike about him straining on a tin bucket. He had dire rear for most of the time.
Bernard,
Nice one, sunshine!