- Title: ISRAEL/ UK : Former hostage BBC journalist Alan Johnston arrives in UK
- Date: 8th July 2007
- Summary: (EU) LONDON, UK (FILE) (REUTERS) WIDE VIEW OF TOWER BRIDGE AND THE CITY OF LONDON SKYLINE
- Embargoed: 23rd July 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
- Reuters ID: LVA2BXGV9W1TZEAPM4GKTQFVKJTU
- Story Text: The BBC correspondent, who was released from 114 days of captivity in Gaza earlier this week, touched down at Heathrow just after midday.
Freed journalist Alan Johnston arrived back on British soil on Saturday (July 08).
Johnston, 45, flew back to the UK from Tel Aviv in Israel on Saturday morning on a British Airways flight.
He has been recuperating at the British Consulate in Jerusalem since being freed on Wednesday by his captors.
"It's great to be back," were the first words of the freed journalist once out the airport.
Armed gunmen from the shadowy Army of Islam group snatched him on March 12 as he returned home to his flat in Gaza, where he had been reporting for the BBC for three years.
The kidnapping sparked a worldwide campaign for his release, involving politicians, faith leaders and his colleagues both in the BBC and other media organisations.
More than 200,000 people signed an online petition calling for his safe return, and there were also demonstrations from residents in the troubled territory of Gaza.
He was released following pressure on his captors by Hamas, a group boycotted by the EU and the US because of its terror links and refusal to recognise Israel. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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