Good news for a change
So I flick to the World Service at 7 and hear that Alan Johnston was released an hour ago . Various people around here cheered rather noisily. I may have been one of them.
Barely had they told us that than he was on the line to tell us about it. It was horrible, ‘as you may imagine’ – in solitary confinement all that time with people who at intervals talked of killing him. He said at the very end they beat him – as they took him to the car to free him, apparently, they had to pound on him. It wasn’t nice.
And as he points out, he’s not the only one.
But anyway – he’s out. Yay.
BIG YAY!
Hooray!
Who had him?
Very good news indeed. Chrisper – it was the “Army of Islam”. Hamas can’t stand them…
“Army of Islam’ had him, apparently the leader of the jihadi outfit told Johnstone that he was a casualty of the war between muslims and non-muslims, nothing personal, you understand. I am glad that Johnstone is free. Not so happy about the gushing about Hamas on the BBC.
“Alan Johnston paused and said: “I feel, I think I’m O.K. It was an extraordinary level of stress and psychological pressure for a long time.”
He also said to the NY Times that he will not for sure not know how he is “for a long time, but I feel as well as I could, I think.”
What a nice 4th July 2007 celebration of freedom. The British as well as the Americans have something in common this fine Independence Day.
Freedom! Freedom! Freedom! is a wonderful thing!
To all American/American at heart B&W’s fans I post – have a very nice Independence Day. Cheers!
Thanks! Army of Islam? {Puts line through Christmas card list)