Palestinian group denies deal to free reporter

Palestinian group denies deal to free reporter
Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:59PM EDT

DUBAI (Reuters) - A Palestinian militant group holding BBC
reporter Alan Johnston said on Sunday there was no deal to
free the Briton 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 organization. What appears on television screens
and through the media here and there is untrue," a man
identified as a spokesman for the Army of Islam in Gaza told
Al Jazeera television.

"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.

An official of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas said earlier
on Sunday Johnston would be released within hours, but as
the clock ticked by another senior Hamas member counseled
caution.

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