new-video-claims-islamic-state-jihadis-have-beheaded-one-of-their-two-japanese-hostages

January 24, 2015 12:31 pm By Robert Spencer Leave a Comment

“He didn’t care about his safety because he believed he and people of IS would be able to understand each other, as members of the global community.”…
No one who understands the Islamic State would ever have said such a thing.

“Video purportedly released by IS claims to have beheaded one of two hostages,” i24news, January 24, 2015 (thanks to Marc):

Japan’s government said Saturday it was attempting to verify a video posted online announcing the execution of one of two Japanese hostages held captive by Islamic State militants.
“A new video apparently showing Kenji (Goto) was posted on the Internet,” chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said. “We are collecting information”.
In the video, Goto appears to be alive. The government however is checking the video for images suggesting that the second hostage, Haruna Yukawa, has been killed by his captors.
The video, which is different than previous Islamic State execution videos, was not posted on any of the jihadist group’s official channels. It also does not bear the IS group’s black and white flag, nor is the purported execution of Haruna Yukawa shown live.
In the audio-video, Goto is heard saying that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is responsible for Haruna’s death.
Goto continues on to say that the Islamic State is no longer demanding a ransom of $200 million, but the release of Sajida al Rishawi, imprisoned in Jordan since 2005.
The Japanese government said it will hold an emergency meeting about the video and called the apparent execution of Haruna Yukawa “outrageous” and “unacceptable,” demanding the release of Kenji Goto.
The 72 hour deadline extremists had set expired at 2.50pm (0550 GMT) on Friday.
Goto’s mother urged the Tokyo government on Friday to pay the jihadists’ $200 million ransom and pleaded that her son’s life be spared.
“I say to you people of the Islamic State, Kenji is not your enemy. Please release him,” she said.
“Kenji was always saying ‘I hope to save lives of children on battlefields’. He was reporting war from a neutral position.”
“Kenji left for the IS with a gentle heart hoping to save a life of his Japanese colleague,” she said, referring to reports that Goto had been on a mercy mission to rescue Yukawa.
“He didn’t care about his safety because he believed he and people of IS would be able to understand each other, as members of the global community.”…