BBC man 'staged own kidnapping'

A poster of Alan Johnston at an April 7 protest calling for his release. Photo / Reuters

LONDON - Palestinian security forces are investigating the possibility that missing BBC correspondent Alan Johnston staged his own kidnapping, a newspaper reported yesterday.

According to London-based Arab language newspaper, Al-Hayat, Johnston staged his capture by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip after he received a notice from his superiors that he would be fired in the near future. But in London, Johnston's colleagues were preparing to gather in a show of support.