Abu Dhabi TV says Hamas abducts its Gaza reporter

ABU DHABI, May 18 (Reuters) The United Arab Emirates' Abu Dhabi television said Palestinian Islamist group Hamas abducted its Gaza bureau chief today. In Gaza, Hamas denied the charge.

''The Hamas movement abducted the Abu Dhabi television bureau chief in Gaza,'' an Abu Dhabi television news anchor said.

A colleague at the Gaza bureau told Reuters that Abdel-Salam Abu Aksar had called the office on his cellphone to report he had been stopped in his car at a checkpoint set up by a Hamas militia which has been battling Fatah rivals this week.

''He called from a checkpoint and said he was being detained by the Hamas Executive Force,'' the colleague, who gave his name as Nael, told Reuters.

He said contact with Aksar was then lost, and that witnesses reported seeing him being taken away in an Executive Force jeep.

A spokesman for the group denied involvement.

''We have no knowledge of the abduction of the journalist. I have checked and he is not in our custody,'' said spokesman Islam Shahwan.

The BBC's Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston disappeared on March 12 while driving. Army of Islam, a little-known group, has claimed responsibility for abducting him.

REUTERS AB VC2345