Abbas says knows whereabouts of BBC Gaza reporter

BERLIN (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was quoted as saying on Friday that his government knows the whereabouts of a BBC reporter who is presumed kidnapped in the Gaza Strip.

"The British journalist Alan Johnston is with a group of rebels," Abbas was quoted as saying by German broadcaster Deutsche Welle in an interview.

"We know where he is and we have been working to secure his release." Abbas added his government had agreed with Britain to proceed with caution so as not to endanger the reporter's life.

Johnston, 44, the only foreign correspondent based full time in Gaza, has not been heard of since his car was found abandoned on March 12.

Palestinian government officials have given assurances that Johnston is well, despite a claim earlier this month that an al Qaeda-linked group had killed him.