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Alan Johnston freed.

Comments

1. At 05:08 AM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

   This is wonderful news indeed. I shall raise a glas to Alan, is family & friensd when I get home tonight.

   *malicious? I've not frogged for about 4 hours!*

2. At 05:56 AM on 04 Jul 2007, The Stainless Steel Cat wrote:

   That's really good news. One bright spot in a pretty dismal week.

3. At 07:43 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Chris wrote:

   What a lovely man clearly of the highest calibre. It made my night to hear he’s free.

4. At 07:52 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Molly wrote:

   Eddie-
   Fantastic, fantastic news!
   What a celebration is due for Alan's family and friends-we shall certainly drink to his health in our house.
   Also, you have all done so well in keeping his profile so high- thank you!

   (goes off to work humming ....)

   Mollyxx

5. At 07:54 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Rachel G wrote:

   What great news to wake up to this morning. And he DID have a radio, so all the messages to him and support were worthwhile.

6. At 07:57 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Anne P. wrote:

   How wonderful to wake up to such good news - I couldn't be more delighted for Alan, his family and colleagues worldwide who worked so hard to keep his story in the news.

7. At 08:01 AM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

   Welcome back Alan! The best news for some time!

   Peace is possible, inshallah.

   Salaam/Shalom
   ed

8. At 08:22 AM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

   What a fabulous day. Just heard Jim Naughtie talking to him on 'Today'

   It's such good news and I hope we now rely on the agency's to give us the news from Gaza - well for a while anyway.

9. At 08:39 AM on 04 Jul 2007, RJD wrote:

   Alan Johnston said this morning that he had heard messages from Terry Waite and Brian Keenan on the radio and that they had helped him during his captivity.

   I remember hearing them at the time and thinking that the chances of Alan Johnston picking them up were very remote. Thank goodness for radio.

10. At 08:39 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Piper wrote:

    Good News.

    Now, we also need to remember all other hostages, Journalists and Contractors etc being held in many other countries

11. At 08:39 AM on 04 Jul 2007, whisky-joe wrote:

    Good to see yer Alan, haste ye back. Why not apply for a job with the Oban Times?

12. At 08:54 AM on 04 Jul 2007, matt wood wrote:

    First thing I heard was the 8am bulletin with the clip from Alan's Dad recounting the brief conversation...

    "Hi Dad... how are you son... I'm 100%" then they were cut off.

    To me, the retelling of that brief exchange so poignantly encapsulating everything about his release in just a few short words. Whilst the interview on Today was lovely to hear, these were the first words between father and son... amazing

    Being both a son and a father, you try to imagine yourself and your own reaction in that situation which is maybe why it has affected me so much.

    Great news, great day.

13. At 08:58 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Big Sister wrote:

    Oh, gosh, for reasons I'll never understand, this thread was hidden from me when, as I've just done, I posted on the Glass Box.

    So, again, this is wonderful, wonderful news.

    Welcome back, Alan!

    Note to Fearless: 'I shall raise a glas to Alan, is family & friensd' - What were you on last night? Save a bottle of it for Alan, why don't you?

14. At 09:13 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Gillian wrote:

    Wonderful news. I felt really emotional listening to Alan's father. I couldn't help thinking about parents everywhere whose only wish is to hear their child saying those simple words.
    As Alan so graciously and poignantly reminded us, there are others who have been kidnapped whilst going about their duties and their jobs.
    I hope we are told more about them, and maybe see their photographs on a banner similar to Alan's.

15. At 09:19 AM on 04 Jul 2007, witchiwoman wrote:

    Had been doing yoga, listening to Today and then the 7am headlines came up; such wonderful, uplifting news!

    Welcome back Alan - I truly hope you are well and that any recovery that needs to be made, mental and physical, is swift.

16. At 09:21 AM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Like you, RJD, I was one of the doubters: who would hear our messages of support? who would see the rallies and vigils that could affect anything?

    Never have I been happier to be proved wrong!

    I hope the five Brits currently hostage elsewhere have just as positive an outcome, and very very soon.

    Hostages everywhere, and their families friends & colleagues, take heart. Sometimes it can work out.

    Fifi

17. At 09:31 AM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Fantastic news.

    I just hope that this won't make the ´óÏó´«Ã½ prevent correspondents travelling to dangerous areas and reporting the news.

    If a reporter is brave and dedicated enough to go, knowing the risks - as Alan was - then the ´óÏó´«Ã½ should fully back them up.

    The people in these places deserve to have their story told.

18. At 09:47 AM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Excellent news. I woke from dozing, listening to Today, hearing the absolute joy in the voices of Carolyn & Jim. It was lovely to know that the weeks of worry have ended in such a positive way. An unexpected bright spot in a week of horrible news. I'm so pleased for his family who have their son free again at last. I expect his mother will be wanting to feed him up - he looks like he's lost weight.

    Thoughts with all the other families who are waiting for news of their abducted children, whatever their age.

19. At 10:20 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Fiona wrote:

    What wonderful fantastic news. Thank goodness some stories have a happy ending. How wonderful for his mum and dad to know that their little boy is safe and well.

    I too will drink a toast to Alan and his family later. All the best...
    Fiona x

20. At 10:29 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Stewart M wrote:

    Great news. As other have said we need to remember other hostages in other places.

    Thanks also to eddie for getting up at 5.00 am to post this :-)
    

21. At 10:32 AM on 04 Jul 2007, The Reverend Green wrote:

    OUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.

22. At 10:33 AM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Brilliant news. Really didn't think this would end well. So nice to be wrong!
    All the best to everyone. I think we all should have a nice cup of tea now.

23. At 10:57 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Frances O wrote:

    I heard this at 0210 (insomnia) and went to sleep happy.

    Agree with all the sentiments above.

24. At 10:57 AM on 04 Jul 2007, tony ferney wrote:

    Just to say, as a Parisian, that the French media have given Alan's release headlne coverage. A true journalistic international can be said to exist.

25. At 11:00 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Chris Ghoti wrote:

    pinkle @22 wrote 'I think we all should have a nice cup of tea now.'

    Hear hear! It's too early in the day for champagne, or I'd say 'break out the bubbly'.

26. At 11:40 AM on 04 Jul 2007, Carl wrote:

    Wonderful news. Now the question is... how much does Alan give the ´óÏó´«Ã½ and how much does he keep for the book!?

27. At 12:13 PM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Fantastic news!
    Woke up, literally, hearing his voice on the radio and thought 'Yay thay's Alan Johnston!'
    Definitely time for Bubbly on the beach! And an open invitation for him to join us!!!!xxxxxxGM

28. At 12:28 PM on 04 Jul 2007, Otter wrote:

    Excellent News.

    I'm so happy to see him safe and well.

29. At 01:04 PM on 04 Jul 2007, Vyle Hernia wrote:

    I twenty-ninth (at 1304) the above. I'm so glad that all the broadcasts etc. appear to have been worthwhile. I had feared they 'd be fruitless.

30. At 02:17 PM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    This is a happy day. It was our efforts that did it.

31. At 02:21 PM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Well after watching that turnout at TVC I was more emotional than Alan.

    Fantastic news and great that the rain stayed off and the sun came out.

    Tear down that poster ! ;-)

32. At 02:36 PM on 04 Jul 2007, Ernest O wrote:

    Best news for weeks. Lot's of people have worked very hard for this. Thanks to them all.

33. At 02:42 PM on 04 Jul 2007, Andy M wrote:

    This is fantastic news. Alan Johnston is free after 4 months. I am very happy for his family. He said that he couldn't belive that in such a small place someone could be kidnapped and held captive for so long. It is over a year since an Israeli solidier was kidnapped in the same place - no mention has been made of him or his family. Perhaps Alan will try as hard to have him released as he now knows what he is going through.

34. At 03:04 PM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Andy M (33),

    "It is over a year since an Israeli solidier was kidnapped in the same place"

    And I wonder how many Palestinians, including children, have been seized and held without charge in in that same time.

    Pray for peace and the release of ALL innocents.

    Salaam/Shalom
    ed
    

35. At 03:09 PM on 04 Jul 2007, Frances O wrote:

    Is it appropriate to remove Alan from the right-hand side of the frog?

36. At 03:37 PM on 04 Jul 2007, Vyle Hernia wrote:

    Frances O (35)

    Good idea. Replace him with Gilad Shalit!

37. At 03:48 PM on 04 Jul 2007, Humph wrote:

    I notice that my comment from about 6am did not make it past the blog owner, despite the thank you, rather than try again later, message I received on posting. Maybe the brevity at that hour in saying that this is fantastic news was deemed inappropriate. It still is fantastic news.

    [does a cartwheel]

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38. At 03:54 PM on 04 Jul 2007, Gerry wrote:

    VH (36)
    Well said. Maybe Hamas could intervene in the case of Gilad Shalit.

39. At 04:46 PM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    I concur with all that has been said. What a modest guy Alan sounds & so calm after all that has happened.

    Carl (26) cynical or what? What we have learnt about Alan I imagine he will give the full story to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ but who woudl begrudge him if he did decide to write a boook at some point. Everyone else in and out of th meja does and most have gone through nothing compared to Alan and his family.

    Good on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ for maintaining Alan's profile and highlighting his ordeal.

40. At 04:46 PM on 04 Jul 2007, Chris Ghoti wrote:

    Gerry @ 38, well, why not. Whatever we may throw at Hamas in the way of accusations about all sorts of things, they do seem to deserve credit in Alan Johnston's release. Good for them, say I.

    Even if it is just as cynical ploy to try to get approval from us, I still do approve of the result!

41. At 04:53 PM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Humph (37) : you never fail to impress me with your agility on this blog.

    Now that the role of Hamas in freeing Alan J has been revealed, at least in part, perhaps we'll see a more constructive attitude towards him from certain countries in the West who chose not to recognise them as an elected party of government.

    If so, then I think there might be a glimmer of hope that a South Africa / Northern Ireland kind of peace might be achievable in this part of the Middle East and then spread to the rest of it.

    Save a glass of that bubbly for me, GM! (Are your socks dry yet?)

    Fifi

    I am so NOT malicious!!!! *stamps foot*

42. At 05:17 PM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Gerry (38),

    Who will intervene in the case of the innocents held captive by the Israelis?

    Almost 1200 more held now than when Gilad Shalit was captured, many of them elected officials and children.

    xx
    ed

    Deemed malicious!

43. At 09:16 PM on 04 Jul 2007, nikki noodle wrote:

    Prayers of thanks for Alan and his release.

    nik

44. At 10:33 PM on 04 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Wonderful news. I couldn't quite believe what I was hearing as I was driving to work.

    Welcome home Alan.

    Mary

45. At 11:28 PM on 04 Jul 2007, am3n3 wrote:

    Almost couldn't believe the good news when it broke last night on the World Service. Seeing his parents being received @ Bush House was really heartwarming.

    In a perverse way, I think Alan's captivity did more to help highlight the problems in Gaza than when he was just reporting there. I definitely paid a lot more (read: any) attention to the power struggles in Palestine as part of the kidnapping's backstory since this started, especially from today's coverage of his release.

    Anyway, three cheers for his homecoming, and for getting rid of his "just kidnapped" hairdo for a more fashionable chrome-dome.

46. At 11:43 PM on 04 Jul 2007, Aperitif wrote:

    Great news. And he comes across as such a lovely guy.

47. At 12:14 AM on 05 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Robert Grover - I agree completely. Even a few hours after his release he was talking about the plight of other hostages and of the numbers of other reporters killed & injured in the line of duty. He described his ordeal with amazing calmness, clarity, & humour and sounded like a modest and thoughtful person, worried about the effect this had on his family and overwhelmed by the support he received. I wish him well.

    Humph - wow! Fifi - no socks were injured in the incident, but regrettably the slippers may not make a full recovery!

48. At 02:40 PM on 05 Jul 2007, Aperitif wrote:

    Why did my comment from last night not get through? I even gave it a poosh this morning! Am I not allowed to talk to Alan then?!

49. At 03:13 PM on 05 Jul 2007, Chris Ghoti wrote:

    If Alan Johnston's story has the effect of making more people notice how very wrong ALL this sort of behavour is, then good. I am very glad indeed that he is safe, and I wish that he had not gone through this ordeal, but I'm fairly sure that he would wish it not to have been meaningless as well as horrible...

    Gerry @ 38, Ed @ 42, RANT ALERT!

    My feeling is that I am not interested in playing a 'numbers game' on this subject, nor in comparing one prisoner with another as a matter of 'points' in some game of 'one side is worse than the other'. Like Amnesty International, I would hold that even ONE hostage, political prisoner, prisoner of conscience, prisoner held without charge or trial, is one too many. Every single one is being treated as a pawn in a political game not of his or her choosing, and the plight of each is equally to be deplored.

    I don't care who is holding them, or on what pretext. Each and every captor is simply WRONG as far as I am concerned. I am disgusted and disquieted that my own country's legally elected representative government is complicit in some of this behaviour.

    People are not and should not be considered as pawns. Everyone is the hero of his or her own life-story.

    /end rant

    Sorry, but I really do feel quite strongly about this.

50. At 10:50 AM on 06 Jul 2007, wrote:

    Chris,

    I hear you. It ain't the numbers but the idea that one 'legitimate' side takes 'prisoners' or 'detainees' and the other 'terrorist' side kidnaps 'hostages'.

    
    That's the balance I'd like to see addressed.

    It's no accident that nobody mentions the day before the attack on the Kerem Shalom fort, when the IDF kidnapped two civilians, a doctor and his brother, from their home in Gaza. The difference between us and them? We kidnapped civilians and they captured a soldier, we are a state and they are a terror organization. How ridiculously pathetic Amos Gilad sounds when he says that the capture of Shalit was "illegitimate and illegal," unlike when the IDF grabs civilians from their homes. How can a senior official in the defense ministry claim that "the head of the snake" is in Damascus, when the IDF uses the exact same methods?
    
    

    xx
    ed