Alan Johnston release

Gaza City, July 4 2007: Alan Johnston, a BBC journalist, reacts after he was released in Gaza. Johnston, held hostage in the Gaza Strip since March, was handed over by his Islamist captors to ruling Hamas officials on Wednesday. Photograph: Suhaib Salem/Reuters

Gaza City, 13 2007: Palestinian journalists rally to protest against the kidnapping of Alan Johnston. His car was found abandoned in Gaza City on March 12. Photograph: Getty

London, March 19 2007: Colleagues of BBC reporter Alan Johnston, who disappeared exactly a week ago in Gaza City hold a vigil outside Bush House in Aldwych. Photograph: Andrew Parsons/PA

Nablus, West Bank 7 April 2007: Palestinian journalists protest infront of the Governor office in solidarity with kidnapped BBC correspondent Alan Johnston. Photograph: Alaa Badarneh/EPA

New York City, USA May 3 2007: Supporters of kidnapped journalist Alan Johnston rally outside the United Nations building. Rallies are being held around the world in support of Johnston, the BBC journalist kidnapped seven weeks ago in Gaza, to coincide with World Press Freedom Day. Photograph: Chris Hondros/Getty

London, June 19 2007: An image of Alan Johnson is projected onto Battersea power station. The projection, to highlight the 100 days for which the correspondent had been held, was conceived by the group Reporters Without Borders. Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty

London, 20 June 2007: BBC employees stick a banner on a poster of their kidnapped colleague outside Bush House, before a silent vigil in his honour. Photograph: Bertrand Langlois/AFP

June 25 2007: Alan Johnston appears wearing a body belt which he said contained explosives, in this image taken from a short video, entitled Alan's Appeal, released by Jaish al-Islam (Islamic Army or Army Of Islam). Photograph: Abid Katib/Getty

Gaza City, July 4 2007: Alan Johnston smiles after being released following 16 weeks in captivity. He was handed over before dawn to Hamas officials by his captors before dawn. Photograph: Mohammed Saber/EPA

Gaza City, July 4 2007: Alan Johnston has breakfast with the former Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders after being released. Photograph: Getty Images/Getty

Erez Crossing, Israel 4 July 2007: Alan Johnston is steered by BBC Middle East bureau chief Simon Wilson, left, into a press conference after crossing from the Gaza Strip at the Erez Crossing. Photograph: David Silverman/Getty

Jerusalem, July 4 2007: Balloons and posters celebrating the release of Alan Johnston adorn the door of the BBC Middle East bureau. Photograph: David Silverman/Getty

Erez Crossing, Israel, July 4 2007: Alan Johnston waves after crossing from the Gaza Strip to the Erez crossing, in Israel. Photograph: David Silverman/Getty

Jerusalem, July 4 2007: Alan Johnston speaks to the media during a press conference at the British consulate in Jerusalem. Johnston was released Wednesday after nearly four months in captivity in the Gaza Strip, saying it was "fantastic" to be free after an "appalling" ordeal in which his life was threatened. Photograph: Oded Balilty/AP