You will start to hear more about the abduction of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston in Gaza very soon—ironically, only because that actual kidnapping has been surpassed by the (apparently) much more shocking failed kidnapping in Gaza.
First the headlines from Google News.
Gunmen ambush UN convoy in Gaza in bid to abduct agency chief
Independent, UK - 5 hours ago
… Relief and Works Agency Gaza field office, was travelling came five days after the kidnap at gunpoint of the BBC correspondent in Gaza, Alan Johnston. …
Gunmen attempt to kidnap UN refugee mission chief in Gaza Ha’aretz
Gaza Gunmen Fire on UN Car in Possible Kidnapping Try New York Times
UN man escapes Gaza kidnap bid Guardian Unlimited
all 88 news articles »
AlaskaReportNew ‘unity’ cabinet may end Palestinian blockade
Belfast Telegraph, UK - 17 hours ago
On the kidnap last Monday of the BBC correspondent in Gaza, Alan Johnston, Mr Haniyeh said that he and Mr Abbas had “given instructions to all security …
Vote due on Palestinian Cabinet BBC News
all 1,222 news articles »
And now here’s some detail from the NYT’s Steven Erlanger, who finally has a reason to delve into the few known details of the Johnston kidnapping—but first the shocking new developments that will push this story into the news cycle:
In an apparent kidnapping attempt, Palestinian gunmen on Friday fired 14 bullets into the armored car of the Gaza director of the United Nations refugee agency.
The official, John Ging, was returning to Gaza from Israel through the Erez checkpoint in a white armored car that was clearly marked with United Nations insignia and a U.N. flag, and was surrounded by two other U.N. cars. …
“This is unprecedented, to shoot at a clearly marked U.N. vehicle with a U.N. flag flying in broad daylight,” Mr. Ging said. “It’s a very serious, shocking development, and we’re still considering how to deal with this.”
The UN is the greatest contributor to the welfare of millions of needy Palestinians. Assaulting your protector isn’t such a hot idea, of course. This is … hideous. The Palestinian territories are out of control.
Erlanger says nothing is known officially about the fate of Johnston, but he feels free now to credit one of the theories:
Palestinian leaders have called for his release but have said little about him, and the BBC has also provided few details.
But Palestinian security officials in Gaza suggest that Mumtaz Dagmoush, a militant leader of a large clan in northern Gaza, is behind the kidnapping. Mr. Dagmoush was behind the kidnapping of two Fox News correspondents last summer; they were held for two weeks.
Mr. Dagmoush is in a battle with Hamas, demanding revenge for the shooting of two Dagmoush clan members by Hamas members of the Executive Force, a parallel police force in Gaza. Palestinian security officials said Mr. Dagmoush is demanding that more than 10 Hamas men be handed over to him or to the courts before Mr. Johnston is released.
Hmmm, I thought. Dagmoush. Where have I seen that name before? Was it on Debka?
No. Debka refers to [e.a.] “the brothers Mumtaz and Muetaz Durmush [and, later in the same story, "Durmishes" --ed.] Different name. Plus: Debka specifically calls them “al Qaeda.”
Huh?
Mumtaz Dagmoush (a “militant leader of a large clan,” NYT)
Mumtaz Durmush. (”an al Qaeda group,” Debka)
Google. Curiously, there are lots of hits for Mumtaz Durmush (and only one for Dagmoush).
Durmush is a known kidnapper, according to Omedia:
The Durmush Clan—a Key to the Shalit Affair
Let it be known that the “Durmush Clan” was also recently involved in the kidnapping of two correspondents from the American television channel Fox News, who were liberated in the end in return for a ransom payment of about $ 1 million, which was transferred via the Hamas government. In any case, amongst informed circles in the Gaza Strip, the general assessment is that Durmush and his people tend to camouflage themselves behind various organizational noms de guerre such as “the Islamic Army”, “Palestine Al Qaeda”, “the Sacred Jihad Brigade” as well as the “Muslim Swords Brigades of Fatah”. This sounds like local media hype, to give an aura of power to a most esoteric gang, which presumably relies on the link to global Al Qaeda.
It’s too late to delve any further into his political affiliations, if any. Maybe tomorrow, if I have time.
Meanwhile, here are a few questions for the New York Times:
What’s the guy’s name—Dagmoush or Durmush? is he a “militant”? does he claim to be al Qaeda? what gives?
1 comment so far ↓
[...] For what it’s worth—and I think it would be a mistake to discount it entirely; see this post, where I noted that the NYT and Debka overlap somewhat in their reporting—Debka’s report is grimly sensational [e.a.]: [...]
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