This article is from the source 'guardian' 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.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/islamic-state-video-isis-uk-hostage-propaganda-message-gunpoint
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Isis video shows UK hostage John Cantlie delivering propaganda message | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A British press photographer who has been held prisoner by Islamic State militants for almost two years has become the latest hostage to be forced to appear in a video, this time delivering a propaganda message on behalf of the group which he admits is a desperate gamble to save his life. | A British press photographer who has been held prisoner by Islamic State militants for almost two years has become the latest hostage to be forced to appear in a video, this time delivering a propaganda message on behalf of the group which he admits is a desperate gamble to save his life. |
| In a 3m 20s clip posted on YouTube titled Lend Me Your Ears, John Cantlie calmly introduces himself and explains his predicament, before calling on the public to act to "change this seemingly inevitable sequence of events", by forcing the American and British governments to change their policies on hostage-taking. | In a 3m 20s clip posted on YouTube titled Lend Me Your Ears, John Cantlie calmly introduces himself and explains his predicament, before calling on the public to act to "change this seemingly inevitable sequence of events", by forcing the American and British governments to change their policies on hostage-taking. |
| Cantlie also makes clear that he is under duress – and that he does not know whether he will succeed in his attempt to avoid being murdered. | Cantlie also makes clear that he is under duress – and that he does not know whether he will succeed in his attempt to avoid being murdered. |
| "Now I know what you're thinking, you're thinking: 'he's only doing this because he's a prisoner. He's got a gun at his head and he's being forced to do this,' right?" he says. | "Now I know what you're thinking, you're thinking: 'he's only doing this because he's a prisoner. He's got a gun at his head and he's being forced to do this,' right?" he says. |
| "Well it's true I am a prisoner. That I cannot deny. But seeing as I've been abandoned by my government and my fate now lies in the hands of Islamic State I have nothing to lose. Maybe I will live and maybe I will die, but I want to take this opportunity to convey some facts that you can verify. Facts that if you contemplate might help preserving lives." | "Well it's true I am a prisoner. That I cannot deny. But seeing as I've been abandoned by my government and my fate now lies in the hands of Islamic State I have nothing to lose. Maybe I will live and maybe I will die, but I want to take this opportunity to convey some facts that you can verify. Facts that if you contemplate might help preserving lives." |
| Cantlie also makes clear that the film is just the first of a series of "programmes" that he will be filming. | Cantlie also makes clear that the film is just the first of a series of "programmes" that he will be filming. |
| "I'm going to show you the truth as the western media tries to drag the public back to the abyss of another war with the Islamic State," he says. | "I'm going to show you the truth as the western media tries to drag the public back to the abyss of another war with the Islamic State," he says. |
| "After two disastrous and hugely unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, why is it that our governments appear so keen to get involved in yet another unwinnable conflict? I'm going to show you the truth behind these systems and motivation of the Islamic State, and how the western media, the very organisation I used to work for can twist and manipulate that truth to the public back home. There are two sides to every story – think you're getting the whole picture? | "After two disastrous and hugely unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, why is it that our governments appear so keen to get involved in yet another unwinnable conflict? I'm going to show you the truth behind these systems and motivation of the Islamic State, and how the western media, the very organisation I used to work for can twist and manipulate that truth to the public back home. There are two sides to every story – think you're getting the whole picture? |
| "And I'll show you the truth behind what happened when many European citizens were imprisoned and later released by the Islamic State and how the British and American governments thought they could do it differently to every other European country. They negotiated with the Islamic state and got their people home while the British and Americans were left behind." | "And I'll show you the truth behind what happened when many European citizens were imprisoned and later released by the Islamic State and how the British and American governments thought they could do it differently to every other European country. They negotiated with the Islamic state and got their people home while the British and Americans were left behind." |
| In the latest video, Cantlie, 43, a freelance photographer from Hazlemere in West Sussex, south of London, explains that he used to work for some of the bigger newspapers and magazines in the UK including the Sunday Times, the Sun and the Sunday Telegraph. | In the latest video, Cantlie, 43, a freelance photographer from Hazlemere in West Sussex, south of London, explains that he used to work for some of the bigger newspapers and magazines in the UK including the Sunday Times, the Sun and the Sunday Telegraph. |
| Sitting behind a desk and filmed from three different angles, Cantlie tells the camera: "It's very alarming to see where this is all headed and it looks like history repeating itself yet again. There is time to change this seemingly inevitable sequence of events, but only if you, the public, act now. Join me for the next few programmes and I think you may be surprised by what you learn." | Sitting behind a desk and filmed from three different angles, Cantlie tells the camera: "It's very alarming to see where this is all headed and it looks like history repeating itself yet again. There is time to change this seemingly inevitable sequence of events, but only if you, the public, act now. Join me for the next few programmes and I think you may be surprised by what you learn." |
| It is the second time that Cantlie has found himself in the hands of militants in Syria. He was rescued from kidnappers in 2012, but four months later chose to return to the country, where he was abducted a second time and sold on to Isis. | It is the second time that Cantlie has found himself in the hands of militants in Syria. He was rescued from kidnappers in 2012, but four months later chose to return to the country, where he was abducted a second time and sold on to Isis. |
| While the freelance photographer's first ordeal lasted just seven days, this time he has been held for 22 months, probably near Raqqa, the group's stronghold in the north of the country. | While the freelance photographer's first ordeal lasted just seven days, this time he has been held for 22 months, probably near Raqqa, the group's stronghold in the north of the country. |
| In that time, he has seen several fellow hostages set free after their governments agreed to pay millions of dollars in ransom. | In that time, he has seen several fellow hostages set free after their governments agreed to pay millions of dollars in ransom. |
| However, three others – US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and Scottish aid worker David Haines, have been killed in a series of ritualistic, video-taped murders. | However, three others – US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and Scottish aid worker David Haines, have been killed in a series of ritualistic, video-taped murders. |
| Alan Henning, 47, a taxi driver from Manchester, who went to Syria as an aid convoy volunteer, has also been threatened with murder. | Alan Henning, 47, a taxi driver from Manchester, who went to Syria as an aid convoy volunteer, has also been threatened with murder. |
| Cantlie is thought to have been abducted as he attempted to leave the country, along with Foley. The pair are understood to have stopped at an internet cafe in a town near the Turkish border, and were taken as they walked out of the front door. | Cantlie is thought to have been abducted as he attempted to leave the country, along with Foley. The pair are understood to have stopped at an internet cafe in a town near the Turkish border, and were taken as they walked out of the front door. |
| Little mention has been made in the media about Cantlie's plight. On the advice of the UK Foreign Office, his family have said nothing in public about his abduction. | Little mention has been made in the media about Cantlie's plight. On the advice of the UK Foreign Office, his family have said nothing in public about his abduction. |
| When Haines was first shown in an Isis video in September, the Foreign Office urged the media to show restraint, and not to report that two other British citizens – Cantlie and Henning – were also being held "because we assess that coverage will increase the threat to their lives". | When Haines was first shown in an Isis video in September, the Foreign Office urged the media to show restraint, and not to report that two other British citizens – Cantlie and Henning – were also being held "because we assess that coverage will increase the threat to their lives". |
| Ten days later, the FCO again asked that no mention be made of Cantlie when Henning was shown in the video that also depicted the murder of Haines. | Ten days later, the FCO again asked that no mention be made of Cantlie when Henning was shown in the video that also depicted the murder of Haines. |
| Transcript of the Cantlie video | Transcript of the Cantlie video |
| Hello my name is John Cantlie. I'm a British journalist who used to work for some of the bigger newspapers and magazines in the UK including the Sunday Times, the Sun and the Sunday Telegraph. | Hello my name is John Cantlie. I'm a British journalist who used to work for some of the bigger newspapers and magazines in the UK including the Sunday Times, the Sun and the Sunday Telegraph. |
| In November 2012 I came to Syria where I was subsequently captured by the Islamic State. Now nearly two years later many things have changed including the expansion of the Islamic State to include large areas of eastern Syria and western Iraq. A landmass bigger than Britain and many other nations. | In November 2012 I came to Syria where I was subsequently captured by the Islamic State. Now nearly two years later many things have changed including the expansion of the Islamic State to include large areas of eastern Syria and western Iraq. A landmass bigger than Britain and many other nations. |
| Now I know what you're thinking, you're thinking: 'He's only doing this because he's a prisoner. He's got a gun at his head and he's being forced to do this,' right? | Now I know what you're thinking, you're thinking: 'He's only doing this because he's a prisoner. He's got a gun at his head and he's being forced to do this,' right? |
| Well it's true I am a prisoner that I cannot deny but seeing as I've been abandoned by my government and my fate now lies in the hands of Islamic State I have nothing to lose. | Well it's true I am a prisoner that I cannot deny but seeing as I've been abandoned by my government and my fate now lies in the hands of Islamic State I have nothing to lose. |
| Maybe I will live and maybe I will die, but I want to take this opportunity to convey some facts that you can verify. Facts that if you contemplate might help preserving lives. | Maybe I will live and maybe I will die, but I want to take this opportunity to convey some facts that you can verify. Facts that if you contemplate might help preserving lives. |
| Over the next few programmes, I'm going to show you the truth as the western media tries to drag the public back to the abyss of another war with the Islamic State. | Over the next few programmes, I'm going to show you the truth as the western media tries to drag the public back to the abyss of another war with the Islamic State. |
| After two disastrous and hugely unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, why is it that our governments appear so keen to get involved in yet another unwinnable conflict? | After two disastrous and hugely unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, why is it that our governments appear so keen to get involved in yet another unwinnable conflict? |
| I'm going to show you the truth behind these systems and motivation of the Islamic State, and how the western media, the very organisation I used to work for can twist and manipulate that truth to the public back home. | I'm going to show you the truth behind these systems and motivation of the Islamic State, and how the western media, the very organisation I used to work for can twist and manipulate that truth to the public back home. |
| There are two sides to every story – think you're getting the whole picture? And I'll show you the truth behind what happened when many European citizens were imprisoned and later released by the Islamic State and how the British and American governments thought they could do it differently to every other every other European country. | There are two sides to every story – think you're getting the whole picture? And I'll show you the truth behind what happened when many European citizens were imprisoned and later released by the Islamic State and how the British and American governments thought they could do it differently to every other every other European country. |
| They negotiated with the Islamic state and got their people home while the British and Americans were left behind. | They negotiated with the Islamic state and got their people home while the British and Americans were left behind. |
| It's very alarming to see where this is all headed and it looks like history repeating itself yet again. There is time to change this seemingly inevitable sequence of events, but only if you, the public act now. Join me for the next few programmes and I think you may be surprised by what you learn. | It's very alarming to see where this is all headed and it looks like history repeating itself yet again. There is time to change this seemingly inevitable sequence of events, but only if you, the public act now. Join me for the next few programmes and I think you may be surprised by what you learn. |