AMMAN, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State (IS) militant group threatened to kill a Japanese hostage and Jordanian pilot within 24 hours if female suicide bomber is not released.
In a video posted online Tuesday afternoon, Japanese freelance journalist Kenji Goto appeared with a message to the Japanese government.
Goto asked the Japanese government to place pressure on Jordan to hand over Sajida Rishawi, a suicide bomber who in 2005 failed to detonate an explosive belt she was wearing and was later arrested and sentenced to death.
Rishawi is an Iraqi woman who has close ties with Abu Musab Zarqawi, former leader of al-Qaida cell in Iraq.
According to the unverified video, Japanese hostage also said IS will only release himself if Sajida is released by Jordan.
If Sajida is not released in 24 hours, IS will kill Goto and the Jordanian pilot Muath Kasasbeh who was captured by IS after his plane crashes last month in Syria.
Also on Tuesday, Jordan Armed Forces said it was working on verifying the authenticity of the video, adding that it was following up closely on what was mentioned in the video.
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New message believed to be from Japanese hostage posted online: report
TOKYO, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- A new video showing a likely image of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto, together with an audio statement have been posted on the internet and the Japanese government is now verifying them, local media reported late Tuesday.
In the audio message, a man who claimed to be Goto claimed the swift release of Sajida al-Rishawa, who is being held on death row in a Jordanian prison for her part in the terror attacks on three hotels in Amman in 2005.Full Story
Abe vows to use all available means to free remaining hostage
TOKYO, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated his assurance Monday that Japan would use all available means to secure the safe release of Kenji Goto, a war journalist, still held captive by the Islamic State (IS) militants, following the likely killing of Haruna Yukawa, a security contractor, on Saturday.
In a meeting of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers earlier in the day, Abe said that Japan would cooperate with the necessary countries in a bid to win Goto's release.Full Story
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