This article is from the source 'nytimes' 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.nytimes.com/2015/01/28/world/middleeast/isis-threatens-kenji-goto-and-moaz-al-kasabeh.html

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
ISIS Issues New Threat Against Hostages ISIS Issues New Threat Against Hostages
(about 4 hours later)
AMMAN, Jordan — The Islamic State appeared to issue a new ultimatum Tuesday, with an audio message giving the Jordanian government 24 hours or less to release a female terrorist or else the militants will kill not only a Japanese hostage but also a captured Jordanian pilot. AMMAN, Jordan — The Islamic State appeared to issue a new ultimatum Tuesday through an audio message giving the Jordanian government 24 hours or less to release a female terrorist, or else the militants would kill not only a Japanese hostage but also a captured Jordanian pilot.
In the audio message, a man who said he was the Japanese hostage, the freelance journalist Kenji Goto, said that he had only 24 hours to live and that the pilot had even less time unless the Jordanians release the woman, Sajida al-Rishawi. Ms. Rishawi is on death row for her role in a devastating 2005 bomb attack in Jordan. In the message, a man who said he was the Japanese hostage, the freelance journalist Kenji Goto, said that he had only 24 hours to live and that the pilot had even less time unless the Jordanians release the woman, Sajida al-Rishawi. Ms. Rishawi is on death row for her role in a devastating 2005 bomb attack in Jordan.
“I’ve been told this is my last message, and I’ve also been told that the barrier of extracting my freedom is now just the Jordanian government delaying the handover of Sajida,” Mr. Goto said in the message posted on Islamic State-linked Twitter accounts, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, an organization that monitors extremist websites. “I’ve been told this is my last message, and I’ve also been told that the barrier of extracting my freedom is now just the Jordanian government delaying the handover of Sajida,” the message posted on Islamic State-linked Twitter accounts said, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, an organization that tracks jihadist propaganda.
The pilot, Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh, was shot down over Syria a month ago during coalition air operations against the Islamic State. It was unclear if Mr. Goto was suggesting the pilot would be released with him if Ms. Rishawi were turned over, or just that the pilot’s life would be spared. The message appeared to link Mr. Goto’s fate for the first time to that of the pilot, Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh, who was shot down over Syria a month ago while working as part of the American-led coalition’s air operations against the Islamic State. Lieutenant Kasasbeh’s fate has been closely followed in Jordan, with critics of the country’s participation in the coalition using it as evidence that Jordan had made a big mistake in joining the fight against the militants.
There was no official confirmation that the latest message was genuine; the Islamic State has issued confirmation of videos about hostages in the past. But the message was in the same style as the one on Saturday showing the murder of another Japanese hostage; Islamic State officials eventually authenticated that video. It was unclear whether the militants meant that the pilot would be released with Mr. Goto in return for Ms. Rishawi’s freedon or just that the pilot’s life would be spared.
As with Saturday’s message announcing the beheading of the other hostage, Haruna Yukawa, 42, Tuesday’s was included in a video showing a still photo of Mr. Goto, with his voice on an audio track. A spokesman for the Jordanian military, speaking on condition of anonymity as a matter of policy, noted that the recording did not mention the possibility of the pilot’s release, “despite the fact they are threatening to kill both hostages together.”
Japanese and Jordanian officials have said they have been working together on the release of both the Japanese journalist and the Jordanian pilot. There has been strong political support here for the exchange of Ms. Rishawi for the freedom of the pilot. There was no official confirmation that the latest message was genuine; the Islamic State has issued confirmation of videos about hostages in the past. But the message was in the same style as the one that surfaced on Saturday showing the murder of another Japanese hostage; Islamic State officials eventually authenticated that video. The Jordanian military spokesman said the authorities were investigating the authenticity of the taped statement.
But when the Islamic State dropped its demand for a $200 million ransom for the two Japanese on Saturday, after it killed Mr. Yukawa, it changed its demand to the exchange of Ms. Rishawi for Mr. Goto. That led to widespread concern here that Japan would arrange for its own hostage’s freedom, but leave the pilot to his fate. As with Saturday’s message, Tuesday’s was presented in a video that showed a still photo of Mr. Goto and included the audio track. The latest photo showed Mr. Goto in an orange jumpsuit holding a photograph of Lieutenant Kasasbeh.
Mr. Goto’s message was pessimistic in tone. In an apparent reference to ongoing negotiations with Jordan, he said: “Any more delaying tactics will simply see both of us getting killed. The ball is now in the Jordanian court.” Japanese and Jordanian officials have said they are working together on the release of the two men.
It was not clear why there might be less time for the pilot. Before their fates were linked, there was strong political support here for exchanging Ms. Rishawi to gain the pilot’s freedom.
But on Saturday, after the Islamic State killed Haruna Yukawa, the other Japanese hostage, the militant group changed its original demand for ransom, saying it wanted instead to exchange Ms. Rishawi’s freedom for Mr. Goto’s. That led to widespread concern here that Japan would arrange for its own hostage’s freedom, but leave Jordan without any bargaining power on behalf of its pilot.
Ms. Rishawi was convicted of being one of four suicide bombers who struck three hotels in Amman in 2005, killing more than 57 people, at the behest of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. Her explosive vest failed to detonate, and she was later apprehended and sentenced to death for her role in the attack.
Ms. Rishawi is Iraqi, and her family comes from a tribe in Anbar Province, where Al Qaeda in Iraq was entrenched in 2005 and where the Islamic State now holds sway.
Mr. Goto’s message on Tuesday sounded pessimistic. In an apparent reference to continuing negotiations with Jordan, he said: “Any more delaying tactics will simply see both of us getting killed. The ball is now in the Jordanian court.” It was not clear why there might be less time for the pilot.
Addressing his wife and the people and government of Japan, Mr. Goto said, “Tell the Japanese government to put all their political pressure on Jordan.”Addressing his wife and the people and government of Japan, Mr. Goto said, “Tell the Japanese government to put all their political pressure on Jordan.”
Japan is a major foreign aid donor to Jordan, and has pledged $150 million to help Syrian refugees in Jordan, according to Ali Bani Ata, a member of Parliament and head of the Japan Jordan Friendship Association. Japan is a major foreign aid donor to Jordan, and has pledged $150 million to help Syrian refugees in Jordan, according to Ali Bani Ata, a member of Parliament and head of the Japan Jordan Friendship Association. The top government spokesman in Japan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, made a brief statement early Wednesday saying that Japan would continue to request Jordan’s cooperation in winning the release of Mr. Goto.
Ms. Rishawi was convicted of being one of four suicide bombers who struck three hotels in Amman in 2005, killing more than 57 people. Her own suicide vest failed to detonate and she was later apprehended and sentenced to death for her role in the attack. A Jordanian official with military contacts, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations, said that Japan and Jordan now have a joint operations room in Amman and have been working hand-in-hand on negotiating the release of Mr. Goto and Lieutenant Kasasbeh.
Tensions in Jordan over the hostage crisis grew over the weekend when Mr. Yukawa was killed.
If the pilot “was an Israeli soldier or an American, everyone would be talking about his release, but he’s not,” Hind al-Fayez, a member of Parliament, said, adding that Jordan’s leaders are to blame for getting involved in the war against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
“This is not our war against ISIS,” she said.
Bassam al-Manaseer, head of the international affairs committee in Parliament, warned of a strong political backlash if Jordan made any deal for the Japanese hostage’s freedom that did not include the release of the pilot.
Like many Jordanians, Mr. Manaseer did not challenge the idea of making a swap that gave Ms. Rishawi her freedom, so long as the pilot was set free. While he thought a deal was still possible, he added, “We are scared that ISIS is planning to kill him anyway.”
Many Jordanians have questioned why there was apparently no rescue operation after Lieuteant Kasasbeh’s jet was downed and he parachuted into a reservoir. He reportedly spent at least an hour floating there until the extremists found him.
Mr. Goto’s message repeatedly stressed the short remaining deadline, which would apparently expire sometime Wednesday afternoon in Jordan.
“It is me for her. What seems to be so difficult to understand?” the message said. “She has been a prisoner for a decade, and I’ve only been a prisoner for a few months. Her for me. A straight exchange. Any more delays by the Jordanian government will mean they’re responsible for the death of their pilot, which will then be followed by mine.”