Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni abducted in Gaza

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: BBC

A radical Islamic group in the Gaza Strip has kidnapped an Italian activist.

Italian consular officials in the Palestinian territory say Vittorio Arrigoni was taken on Thursday morning.

In a video posted on YouTube, Mr Arrigoni appears blindfolded with what looks like thick black tape. He seems to have been beaten.

Mr Arrigoni is the first foreigner kidnapped in Gaza since BBC journalist Alan Johnston was snatched in 2007.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13088630?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[CBHagman]

1. Tragic news on the link.

The report has been updated to say that Mr. Arrigoni has been found dead.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13088630?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

An Italian pro-Palestinian activist has been found dead in the Gaza Strip hours after being abducted, security sources in the Hamas-governed territory say.

(SNIP)

Hamas said his body was found hanged, after police received a tip-off.

Mr Arrigoni was the first foreigner kidnapped in Gaza since BBC journalist Alan Johnston was snatched in 2007.

It is thought he was kidnapped by Salafist radicals, who have often been in conflict with Hamas, the BBC's Gaza correspondent Jon Donnison says.

They consider Hamas, an Islamist movement itself, too moderate, our correspondent says.