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A senior Hamas official said June 18 that it is the last day for kidnappers to release kidnapped British Broadcasting Corp. journalist Alan Johnston, and that Hamas will use "all means to secure his life." Johnston was abducted in Gaza more than three months ago and is being held by a group that calls itself Army of Islam. The group has demanded that the United Kingdom release Muslim prisoners, particularly Islamist cleric Abu Qatada, in exchange for Johnston's release.

A Hamas representative in Tehran said June 17 that Johnston would be freed within hours and that any delay to his release was needed to guarantee his safety. The same day, a video broadcast by Al Jazeera carried a declaration by Army of Islam that no deal had been made to secure the journalist's release and that he would be killed "if the situation gets more complicated concerning us and our group."

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