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Alan Henning: Hostage's family receives plea for life | Alan Henning: Hostage's family receives plea for life |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The family of British hostage Alan Henning has received an audio file of him "pleading for his life". | The family of British hostage Alan Henning has received an audio file of him "pleading for his life". |
Details of the message have not been released, but Mr Henning's wife Barbara issued a message in response calling on Islamic State (IS) to release him. | Details of the message have not been released, but Mr Henning's wife Barbara issued a message in response calling on Islamic State (IS) to release him. |
Mr Henning, a taxi driver from Eccles in Salford, was delivering aid when he was captured in Syria in December. | Mr Henning, a taxi driver from Eccles in Salford, was delivering aid when he was captured in Syria in December. |
Meanwhile UK authorities have said they are "getting warm" in their hunt for a militant seen in IS beheading videos. | |
IS films have showed the beheadings of two Americans and one Briton in recent weeks, and a militant in the videos seems to speak with a British accent. | |
Britain's Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told US network CNN: "There's a big investigation and we are getting warm. | |
"We are narrowing down the field but I don't want to say any more at this stage." | |
'Loud and clear' | 'Loud and clear' |
In a statement issued through the Foreign Office, Mrs Henning said: "I and people representing me continue to reach out to those holding Alan. | In a statement issued through the Foreign Office, Mrs Henning said: "I and people representing me continue to reach out to those holding Alan. |
"Islamic State continue to ignore our pleas to open dialogue. | "Islamic State continue to ignore our pleas to open dialogue. |
"I have seen Muslims across the globe question Islamic State over Alan's fate. The voices of the people have spoken out loud and clear. | "I have seen Muslims across the globe question Islamic State over Alan's fate. The voices of the people have spoken out loud and clear. |
"He was working with Muslims to help the most vulnerable within Syria. Nothing has changed. He went to Syria to help his Muslim friends deliver much needed aid. | "He was working with Muslims to help the most vulnerable within Syria. Nothing has changed. He went to Syria to help his Muslim friends deliver much needed aid. |
The statement, the second released by the Henning family in recent days, continued: "We are at a loss why those leading Islamic State cannot open their hearts and minds to the facts surrounding Alan's imprisonment and why they continue to threaten his life. | The statement, the second released by the Henning family in recent days, continued: "We are at a loss why those leading Islamic State cannot open their hearts and minds to the facts surrounding Alan's imprisonment and why they continue to threaten his life. |
"I have been told that he has been to a Sharia court and found innocent of being a spy and declared to be no threat. I implore Islamic State to abide by the decisions of their own justice system. | "I have been told that he has been to a Sharia court and found innocent of being a spy and declared to be no threat. I implore Islamic State to abide by the decisions of their own justice system. |
"Please release Alan." | "Please release Alan." |
Death threat | Death threat |
Mrs Henning first spoke out at the weekend, saying she had sent messages to IS but had received no response. | Mrs Henning first spoke out at the weekend, saying she had sent messages to IS but had received no response. |
Last week, British Muslim leaders called for Mr Henning's immediate release in a letter in the Independent newspaper. | Last week, British Muslim leaders called for Mr Henning's immediate release in a letter in the Independent newspaper. |
IS militants issued a threat to kill Mr Henning in a video released on 13 September which showed the killing of another British man, David Haines. | IS militants issued a threat to kill Mr Henning in a video released on 13 September which showed the killing of another British man, David Haines. |
His death followed those of two US hostages, journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, both of which were also shown in videos. | |
Earlier on Tuesday IS released a second video of UK journalist John Cantlie, who was kidnapped in Syria in 2012 and is being held hostage. | |
Like the first video, which was posted online less than a week ago, Mr Cantlie is shown speaking to the camera about IS and saying he has been abandoned by the UK government. | Like the first video, which was posted online less than a week ago, Mr Cantlie is shown speaking to the camera about IS and saying he has been abandoned by the UK government. |