[Jerusalem Post] Herb Keinon and Yaakov Katz - There is no guarantee that the Durmush clan in the southern Gaza Strip, believed to be holding kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, will free him even if the Egyptians succeed in brokering a swap for Palestinian security prisoners, government officials in Jerusalem said Tuesday. The sources said there was no certainty the clan would obey Damascus-based Hamas head Khaled Mashaal if he told them to release Shalit. Durmush was behind the abduction of two Fox News workers in Gaza in August. They were released - after two weeks - when Hamas agreed to pay Durmush $1 million. Sources in Jerusalem say Durmush was also involved in the kidnapping of BBC journalist Alan Johnston on March 12, and that although Mashaal would like to see him released, he has been unable to arrange it.
2007-04-11 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive