Johnston family 'buoyed' by video

The video - in which Mr Johnston says he is fit and well and not being mistreated - was apparently posted on the internet by his self-proclaimed kidnappers, the Army of Islam.

Johnston, 45, from Argyllshire, was pictured from the waist up wearing a red sweatshirt and appears calm as he delivers a statement lasting around five minutes to the camera.

Although there is no indication when the video was recorded, Mr Johnston's parents expressed their relief at the first positive sign about his condition since he disappeared.

Emerging from one of the weekly 10-minute vigils being held for their son at their local church, Margaret Johnston said: "It is just very, very good to see him looking as well as he did and sounding good as well. I just wish I knew where he'd been taken."

His father, Graham Johnston, said: "It's the first indication we have had that he's okay. For all 81 days or whatever it is we keep wondering how is he, how is he being treated? So yes, this has buoyed us up, very much so."

But a statement from the family issued by the BBC was more qualified, indicating they had also been disturbed at the way their son was paraded in front of the cameras. It said: "We are very pleased to see Alan and to hear him say that he is not being ill-treated - although it is clearly distressing for us to see him in these circumstances."

The little-known Army of Islam group apparently sent the video to the Palestinian news agency Ramattan.

In it, Mr Johnston starts off: "My captors have treated me very well, they have fed me well, there has been no violence toward me at all and I am in good health."

He then moves on to attack the British Government's foreign policy in the Middle East, claiming it was "endlessly working to occupy Muslim lands against the will of the people".