BBC Monitoring

Text of report in English by independent, non-governmental Palestinian Ma'an News Agency website

[Report by Editor in Chief Nasir al-Lahham: "Masked Gunmen Abduct Ma'an Journalist" - Ma'an headline]

Bethlehem, 25 Nov (Ma'an) - Ma'an journalist Hafith Asakra was kidnapped on Saturday evening [24 November] by five masked gunmen as he headed to work at Ma'an's main office in Bethlehem.

The abductors bound his hands and legs, detaining him for 12 hours. They demanded to use his Ma'an password to post a fictitious news story, aimed at stirring up trouble between Ma'an and the Palestinian factions and security services.

He refused to give in to his abductors' demands.

We at Ma'an reiterate that we trust the Palestinian nationalist movement and factions and we emphasize that the abduction of Ma'an's editor was a part of a long-running conspiracy against us.

We are confident that the Palestinian security will arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice in the interests of press freedom.

Source: Ma'an News Age! ncy website, Bethlehem, in English 1022 gmt 25 Nov 07