This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29238385
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Alan Henning: Syria trips were worthwhile, says hostage | Alan Henning: Syria trips were worthwhile, says hostage |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Video footage of British hostage Alan Henning - filmed before he was captured in Syria - has shown him describing his trips to the country as "worthwhile". | Video footage of British hostage Alan Henning - filmed before he was captured in Syria - has shown him describing his trips to the country as "worthwhile". |
The 47-year-old was a volunteer on an aid convoy in December 2013 and was seized just after crossing into Syria. | The 47-year-old was a volunteer on an aid convoy in December 2013 and was seized just after crossing into Syria. |
A friend of Mr Henning from the convoy, who was with him when he was captured, has appealed to militant group Islamic State (IS) to release him. | A friend of Mr Henning from the convoy, who was with him when he was captured, has appealed to militant group Islamic State (IS) to release him. |
Majid Freeman urged the militants to "spare him" and "let him come home". | Majid Freeman urged the militants to "spare him" and "let him come home". |
In the video, Mr Henning said: "It's all worthwhile when you see what is needed, as you get where it needs to go. That makes it all worthwhile. | In the video, Mr Henning said: "It's all worthwhile when you see what is needed, as you get where it needs to go. That makes it all worthwhile. |
"No sacrifice we do is nothing compared to what they are going through every day." | "No sacrifice we do is nothing compared to what they are going through every day." |
In a separate video posted on YouTube, a group representing British Muslim aid workers issued "a call of mercy" appealing for Mr Henning's release. | In a separate video posted on YouTube, a group representing British Muslim aid workers issued "a call of mercy" appealing for Mr Henning's release. |
The hostage, from Eccles in Greater Manchester, had been on two previous aid convoys to the region. | The hostage, from Eccles in Greater Manchester, had been on two previous aid convoys to the region. |
Mr Freeman, 26, said it was his "worst nightmare" to see his friend become a hostage when he had gone to Syria solely to help the Syrian people. | |
He said he was praying for Mr Henning's release and called on IS to show him "mercy and compassion" and "understand he's a humanitarian aid worker, he's not a fighter, he's not come there for political reasons". | He said he was praying for Mr Henning's release and called on IS to show him "mercy and compassion" and "understand he's a humanitarian aid worker, he's not a fighter, he's not come there for political reasons". |
"Please, please don't kill him. Please spare him. Just let him come back home," he said. | "Please, please don't kill him. Please spare him. Just let him come back home," he said. |
Passport inspected | Passport inspected |
Mr Henning, a father-of-two, had previously worked as a taxi driver. Mr Freeman said he was a "funny guy" known as "Gadget" or "Gadge" among the convoy members. | Mr Henning, a father-of-two, had previously worked as a taxi driver. Mr Freeman said he was a "funny guy" known as "Gadget" or "Gadge" among the convoy members. |
He was seized by militants shortly after crossing into Syria from the Turkish border. | He was seized by militants shortly after crossing into Syria from the Turkish border. |
The gunmen arrived at a compound where the convoy workers had stopped, and inspected their passports. | The gunmen arrived at a compound where the convoy workers had stopped, and inspected their passports. |
According to Mr Freeman, the gunmen said Mr Henning was a spy and took him away, because his passport had a chip inside - the standard biometric chip found in British passports. | According to Mr Freeman, the gunmen said Mr Henning was a spy and took him away, because his passport had a chip inside - the standard biometric chip found in British passports. |
The convoy members tried in the following days to explain that the chip is a standard feature of British passports, and that Mr Henning was an aid volunteer. | The convoy members tried in the following days to explain that the chip is a standard feature of British passports, and that Mr Henning was an aid volunteer. |
Their appeals were rejected. | Their appeals were rejected. |
Mr Freeman said he made an extra effort to get to know Mr Henning, who was the only non-Muslim on the convoy. | Mr Freeman said he made an extra effort to get to know Mr Henning, who was the only non-Muslim on the convoy. |
Mr Freeman said Mr Henning had told him that he felt "at home" in the other aid workers' company. | Mr Freeman said Mr Henning had told him that he felt "at home" in the other aid workers' company. |
"I remember at some point something broke down in our ambulance," Mr Freeman said. "The radio wasn't working properly. Immediately he volunteered himself and he fixed the radio. | "I remember at some point something broke down in our ambulance," Mr Freeman said. "The radio wasn't working properly. Immediately he volunteered himself and he fixed the radio. |
"Gadget was out on a mission. He not only wanted to help the Syrian people, he wanted to help everyone in whatever way he could help." | "Gadget was out on a mission. He not only wanted to help the Syrian people, he wanted to help everyone in whatever way he could help." |
Mr Freeman also said Mr Henning had slept in their vehicle when the convoy passed through Venice, rather than stay in a hotel, because he wanted to spend his money on the people of Syria. | Mr Freeman also said Mr Henning had slept in their vehicle when the convoy passed through Venice, rather than stay in a hotel, because he wanted to spend his money on the people of Syria. |
Donated generator | Donated generator |
Mr Freeman said Mr Henning once raised money for a hospital generator after seeing a news report on how babies had died because their hospital's electricity supply had been cut off. | Mr Freeman said Mr Henning once raised money for a hospital generator after seeing a news report on how babies had died because their hospital's electricity supply had been cut off. |
"He actually started raising money and he bought a generator himself, and he took that generator to Syria. | "He actually started raising money and he bought a generator himself, and he took that generator to Syria. |
"He knew he can't single-handedly save the whole of Syria and end this oppression. However, he thought even if he could help a few lives, even if he could save a few children, so the next time this happens in the hospital he wants them to have a generator. | "He knew he can't single-handedly save the whole of Syria and end this oppression. However, he thought even if he could help a few lives, even if he could save a few children, so the next time this happens in the hospital he wants them to have a generator. |
"That's the kind of person Gadget is." | "That's the kind of person Gadget is." |
Other members of the convoy said that while they liked listening to nasheeds - Islamic songs - on the convoys, Mr Henning enjoyed listening to Phil Collins, whose music he would play loudly in his ambulance. | Other members of the convoy said that while they liked listening to nasheeds - Islamic songs - on the convoys, Mr Henning enjoyed listening to Phil Collins, whose music he would play loudly in his ambulance. |
Air strikes | Air strikes |
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said rescue options for Mr Henning were limited as his whereabouts were unknown. | Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said rescue options for Mr Henning were limited as his whereabouts were unknown. |
A video showing the killing of British aid worker David Haines was recently published by IS. His death followed that of two US hostages who were also shown in videos. | A video showing the killing of British aid worker David Haines was recently published by IS. His death followed that of two US hostages who were also shown in videos. |
IS is a radical Islamist group that has seized large swathes of territory in eastern Syria, and northern and western Iraq. | IS is a radical Islamist group that has seized large swathes of territory in eastern Syria, and northern and western Iraq. |
The US has launched a number of air strikes in recent weeks in an attempt to drive back its advance and support Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting IS on the ground. | The US has launched a number of air strikes in recent weeks in an attempt to drive back its advance and support Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting IS on the ground. |
The UK has not been involved in the air strikes but has flown surveillance missions and supplied heavy machine guns and ammunition to the Iraqi army. | The UK has not been involved in the air strikes but has flown surveillance missions and supplied heavy machine guns and ammunition to the Iraqi army. |