Rank ingratitude

One for the scrapbook on ideological difference perhaps. Alan Johnston's kidnappers are aggrieved at his failure to thank them for their hospitality:

"We used to give him everything he wanted," Abu Zobayer... said.

"We spent £70 on his food every week. The Matouk restaurant [one of the best eateries in Gaza] got rich because we had to feed him."

Johnston has said that he fell ill from the food he was served. Zobayer commented: "It's not our problem that we gave him everything and he only ate a little."

Although they did not torture him physically, the kidnappers seemed to have no concept of the psychological torture they were inflicting on the BBC correspondent.

"We had people with him all the time to try to help him to relax," said Zobayer.

"We gave him a radio so that he could listen to his own channel. I myself sat with him to try to make him feel comfortable and feel that he will be released."

Top food, your own radio, soothing companions. What, you want freedom as well?!