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17/04/2007
Vigils held for BBC reporter
A number of vigils have been held in the UK and abroad for missing BBC reporter Alan Johnson.
On Monday, journalists gathered in the Lebanese capital of Beirut to show their support for the 44-year-old who has not been seen since March 12 when he was abducted in Gaza City.
Other journalists also gathered in Brussels, outside the European Commission building, while, in the UK, hundreds of BBC workers gathered outside the BBC Television Centre and Bush House - the headquarters of the World Service - in London and BBC offices in Birmingham.
The vigils followed the release of a statement on Sunday from a previously unknown group called the Brigades of Tawheed and Jihad, which claimed that they had abducted and killed Mr Johnson.
British and Palestinian officials are currently trying to establish if there is any truth in the claim, which has not been independently verified.
The BBC said that they were "deeply concerned", but stressed that there had been no independent verification of the claim.
On Tuesday, Archbishop of York John Sentamu held an afternoon vigil at the chapel of Bishopthorpe Palace including a prayer for Mr Johnston's release.
Dr Sentamu said that Mr Johnston has been "the one voice of sanity who was purely telling the story" during his time in Gaza.
Mr Johnston, who has lived and worked in Gaza for three years, was the only Western reporter to be permanently based in the area. However, his posting there was due to end in March.
(KMcA/JM)
On Monday, journalists gathered in the Lebanese capital of Beirut to show their support for the 44-year-old who has not been seen since March 12 when he was abducted in Gaza City.
Other journalists also gathered in Brussels, outside the European Commission building, while, in the UK, hundreds of BBC workers gathered outside the BBC Television Centre and Bush House - the headquarters of the World Service - in London and BBC offices in Birmingham.
The vigils followed the release of a statement on Sunday from a previously unknown group called the Brigades of Tawheed and Jihad, which claimed that they had abducted and killed Mr Johnson.
British and Palestinian officials are currently trying to establish if there is any truth in the claim, which has not been independently verified.
The BBC said that they were "deeply concerned", but stressed that there had been no independent verification of the claim.
On Tuesday, Archbishop of York John Sentamu held an afternoon vigil at the chapel of Bishopthorpe Palace including a prayer for Mr Johnston's release.
Dr Sentamu said that Mr Johnston has been "the one voice of sanity who was purely telling the story" during his time in Gaza.
Mr Johnston, who has lived and worked in Gaza for three years, was the only Western reporter to be permanently based in the area. However, his posting there was due to end in March.
(KMcA/JM)
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