KEY POINTS:
The Gaza group claiming responsibility for the kidnap of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston said today it would only free him if its demands were met and threatened to kill him "if things become more difficult."
The denial of any deal to free Mr Johnston came
after a day of encouraging signs that was well on the way to being released in the wake of renewed pressure by the Hamas leadership now in internal control in Gaza after the five days of fighting last week.
Hamas responded to the new indication of a stall in the intensive negotiations last night by saying it was making "intense efforts" to secure the reporter's release and would not "accept any delay."
In the first such televised appearance since Mr Johnston was kidnapped three months ago, a masked man identified by the station as a spokesman for the Army of Islam recalled the group's demands for the release of Abu Qatada, held in a British gaol and suspected of links with Al Qaeda.
Earlier Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader who has rejected his dismissal by the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said after meeting the released victim of a year long kidnap by a Gaza clan declared: "I hope there will be similar news about the abducted journalist Alan Johnston. We are acting effectively and in a serious manner. I hope this file will be closed and that Alan can go back to his family safe and sound."
But the taped declaration shown by Al Jazeera of a spokesman identified by as Abu Khatab said: "Freeing this detainee has not been part of any deal with any faction or organisation. What appears on television screens and through the media here and there are untrue."
Israeli Ynet digital news service reported what they said was a declaration by the kidnappers on a fundamentalist website that they had been "threatened" by Hamas, whose military wing had said on Friday it was begun "taking steps" to secure Mr Johnston's release.
The spokesman said that Mr Johnston would not be freed until the release of Abu Qutada "or any other prisoners we agree upon." Abu Qatada, a Palestinian-born Islamic cleric is currently held in detention by the British Government as a threat to national security.
The statement added that "There are developments. We will let you know when there are new developments."
The statement was the first public move by the kidnappers since the airing on June 1 of a taped but undated appearance by the journalist on June 1.
The British Foreign Office said last night: "These videos only add to the distress for Alan's family and friends. We continue to seek Alan's swift and safe release and we welcome the efforts of all in the Palestinian territories working to that end."
Mr Abu Zuhri said last night that despite anything said in the tape the issue of Mr Johnston's release was "one of the most important files" for Hamas. He added: "The Hamas movement will not accept any delay in the release of Alan Johnston."
Earlier reports of what appeared to be Mr Johnston's imminent release first surfaced in Tehran where Abu Osameh al-Mo'ti, the Islamic faction's representative in Iran had declared: "The BBC journalist will be released within the next hours, today." He added "We are negotiating to solve the issue peacefully. We asked them to release him without any conditions."
Mr Abu Zuhri, had been more cautious earlier in the day saying that while intensive efforts were being made for Johnston's release, it could not be predicted in terms of hours.
Mr Johnston was seized on March 12 as he was driving home from his Gaza office in the late afternoon. The only Western correspondent based in Gaza, he had been due to finish his three-week tour in Gaza at the end of the month.
Today's declaration from the group said: "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."
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