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| Isis Japanese hostage crisis: Jordan says it has received 'no proof pilot is alive' as 24-hour 'Islamic State' deadline passes | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Isis's 24-hour deadline for a prisoner exchange involving its two hostages has now passed, and Jordan has said it received no assurances that a pilot held by the militant group was safe. | |
| Any chance of securing freedom for the Japanese hostage Kenji Goto seemed to rest with the Jordanian government, which said it was holding the Iraqi militant Sajida al-Rishawi until it could be certain her release would ensure the safe passage of "hero" pilot Lieutenant Mu'ath al-Kaseasbeh. | |
| It is now at least 25 hours since video footage first emerged saying Mr Goto and Lt Kaseasbeh would be killed if Jordan did not give up Rishawi, who was convicted of taking part in a bomb attack on Jordan that killed more than 60 people in 2005. | |
| And as the deadline apparently set by Isis passed, the Jordanian foreign minister wrote on Twitter: "We have asked for proof of life, the well-being and health of the hero Moaz [Kaseasbeh] for a while and we have received none." | |
| Earlier, a spokesperson for the Jordanian government was quoted in state media as saying: "Jordan is ready to release prisoner Sajida al-Rishawi if the Jordanian pilot Lieutenant Muath al-Kasaesbeh is released and his life spared." It made no mention of the fate of Mr Goto. | |
| Kenji Goto has been threatened with beheading by Isis | Kenji Goto has been threatened with beheading by Isis |
| Japan's deputy foreign minister gave a press conference in Amman, Jordan, earlier today, but said there was nothing new to report on the possibility of a prisoner exchange. | Japan's deputy foreign minister gave a press conference in Amman, Jordan, earlier today, but said there was nothing new to report on the possibility of a prisoner exchange. |
| It comes after Goto's mother Junko Ishito issued an emotional plea to prime minister Shinzo Abe to "please save Kenji". | It comes after Goto's mother Junko Ishito issued an emotional plea to prime minister Shinzo Abe to "please save Kenji". |
| Ms Ishido begged Mr Abe to work with the Jordanian government to secure her son's release, saying: "Kenji has only a little time left." | Ms Ishido begged Mr Abe to work with the Jordanian government to secure her son's release, saying: "Kenji has only a little time left." |
| Kenji Goto's mother Junko Ishido expressed hope for his release, but also desperation | |
| Mr Goto's mother expressed hope for his release, but also desperation. "What has my child done wrong?" she said. "There's no more time." | Mr Goto's mother expressed hope for his release, but also desperation. "What has my child done wrong?" she said. "There's no more time." |
| In Japan, a spokesperson for Mr Abe's office said he had no immediate comment on the Jordanian statement. | |
| Mr Abe has described Tuesday's video as "despicable", and called on Jordan to cooperate in working for Mr Goto's quick release. But at the same time, Mr Abe vowed that his country would not be seen to be giving in to terrorism. | |
| In Jordan, the pilot's father, Safi al-Kaseasbeh, begged the government "to meet the demands" of the kidnappers. Hundreds have also gathered outside the prime minister's offices, urging Isis be appeased. | |
| "All people must know, from the head of the regime to everybody else, that the safety of Mu'ath means the stability of Jordan, and the death of Mu'ath means chaos in Jordan," he said. | "All people must know, from the head of the regime to everybody else, that the safety of Mu'ath means the stability of Jordan, and the death of Mu'ath means chaos in Jordan," he said. |
| Islamic State have released images of their fighters reportedly capturing Jordanian pilot Lieutenant Mu'ath al-Kaseasbeh (Twitter) Lt al-Kaseasbeh, 26, has been held by the militants since his Jordanian F-16 fighter jet crashed near Isis' de facto capital of Raqqa, Syria, in December. He is the first foreign military pilot it has captured since a US-led coalition that includes Jordan began its aerial campaign against the extremists in August. | Islamic State have released images of their fighters reportedly capturing Jordanian pilot Lieutenant Mu'ath al-Kaseasbeh (Twitter) Lt al-Kaseasbeh, 26, has been held by the militants since his Jordanian F-16 fighter jet crashed near Isis' de facto capital of Raqqa, Syria, in December. He is the first foreign military pilot it has captured since a US-led coalition that includes Jordan began its aerial campaign against the extremists in August. |
| Mr Goto was seized in October in Syria, apparently while trying to rescue Mr Yukawa, 42, who was captured by the militants in August. | |
| Shinzo Abe expressed outrage, demanding that the extremists free Kenji Goto A video on Saturday appeared to show Goto with a picture of a beheaded Yukawa, saying his captors' demands had switched to the release of al-Rishawi from a request for $200 million in cash. | |
| Japanese officials have indicated they are treating the video released over the weekend as authentic and that Mr Yukawa is dead. | Japanese officials have indicated they are treating the video released over the weekend as authentic and that Mr Yukawa is dead. |