Petitions *do* make a difference

Wow. I'll be signing more of them in future I think!

"I have spent some time resting in the two days since I was freed, and I have only just switched on my computer.

These are the first words that I have written since I was captured four months ago, and I wanted to dedicate them to all those many tens-of-thousands of people who signed the online petition in support of my release.

To each and every one of you, I want to say that I am so grateful.

During my incarceration I had one very important lucky break. After about a month I got hold of a radio that gave me the BBC World Service.

I was staggered to hear that by that stage about forty-thousand people had put their names to the petition."

                                                                     Alan Johnston (released)