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| Isis 'kills Japanese hostage Kenji Goto': Government trying to verify video showing execution | Isis 'kills Japanese hostage Kenji Goto': Government trying to verify video showing execution |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Islamic State (Isis) militants have released a video which appears to show the murder of a journalist at the centre of hostage negotiations with the Japanese government. | Islamic State (Isis) militants have released a video which appears to show the murder of a journalist at the centre of hostage negotiations with the Japanese government. |
| With similarities to previous video messages showing the beheadings of Western captives in Syria, Kenji Goto, 47, was shown kneeling in front of a masked man armed with a knife, in a film which was titled: A Message To The Japanese Government. | With similarities to previous video messages showing the beheadings of Western captives in Syria, Kenji Goto, 47, was shown kneeling in front of a masked man armed with a knife, in a film which was titled: A Message To The Japanese Government. |
| Unlike past murders, however, the reported killing followed negotiations with Isis aimed at freeing Mr Goto, and the release of Jordanian pilot Muadh al-Kasasbeh. | Unlike past murders, however, the reported killing followed negotiations with Isis aimed at freeing Mr Goto, and the release of Jordanian pilot Muadh al-Kasasbeh. |
| Mr Goto, an experienced freelance reporter who went to Syria in October, had previously been forced to hold up a picture which appeared to show the aftermath of the beheading of another Japanese hostage, private security consultant Haruna Yukawa. | Mr Goto, an experienced freelance reporter who went to Syria in October, had previously been forced to hold up a picture which appeared to show the aftermath of the beheading of another Japanese hostage, private security consultant Haruna Yukawa. |
| On Saturday evening, the Japanese authorities were investigating the film to check its authenticity. | On Saturday evening, the Japanese authorities were investigating the film to check its authenticity. |
| Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said: “I will never forgive these terrorists. Japan will work with the international community to bring those responsible for this crime to justice.” | Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said: “I will never forgive these terrorists. Japan will work with the international community to bring those responsible for this crime to justice.” |
| Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga added: “I cannot help feeling strong indignation that an inhuman and despicable act of terrorism like this has been committed again. We resolutely condemn this.” | Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga added: “I cannot help feeling strong indignation that an inhuman and despicable act of terrorism like this has been committed again. We resolutely condemn this.” |
| He said that cabinet ministers would now meet to discuss the government’s response. | He said that cabinet ministers would now meet to discuss the government’s response. |
| British Prime Minister, David Cameron, said: "I utterly condemn what appears to be the despicable and appalling murder of Kenji Goto. It is a further reminder that ISIL (Isis) is the embodiment of evil, with no regard for human life. | |
| "My thoughts and prayers are with the families of Mr Goto and Mr Yukawa and the Japanese people as they come to terms with the murder of two innocent citizens in such a brutal manner. Britain stands united with Japan at this tragic time and we will do all we can to hunt down these murderers and bring them to justice, however long it takes. | |
| "The Japanese Government is right not to bow to terrorism. The way we will defeat ISIL is not by giving in to these terrorists but by confronting them and their poisonous ideology. With determination and patience, we will work together with Japan and our other allies to extinguish this terrorist threat and to stand up for the values of tolerance and peace." | |
| Isis had initially asked for a $200 million ransom for the release of the two Japanese men. Mr Yukawa was captured last summer near Aleppo and Mr Goto had reportedly travelled to the region to try and help secure his release. | Isis had initially asked for a $200 million ransom for the release of the two Japanese men. Mr Yukawa was captured last summer near Aleppo and Mr Goto had reportedly travelled to the region to try and help secure his release. |
| Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi in her apparant confession on Jordanian television in 2005 | Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi in her apparant confession on Jordanian television in 2005 |
| After Isis had reported that Mr Yukawa been killed this week, the demands changed with a call for Jordan to release Sajida al-Rishawi, who has been held since 2005 in relation to bomb attacks on hotels in Amman. | After Isis had reported that Mr Yukawa been killed this week, the demands changed with a call for Jordan to release Sajida al-Rishawi, who has been held since 2005 in relation to bomb attacks on hotels in Amman. |
| Jordan has itself been threatened with the murder of Lieutenant Kasasbeh. He was captured when his plane crashed in Syria on Christmas Eve. Jordan has demanded proof that he is still alive and there was no prisoner exchange at sunset on Thursday, as Isis had demanded. The group warned that Lt Kasasbeh would be killed if Rishawi was not brought out from custody. | Jordan has itself been threatened with the murder of Lieutenant Kasasbeh. He was captured when his plane crashed in Syria on Christmas Eve. Jordan has demanded proof that he is still alive and there was no prisoner exchange at sunset on Thursday, as Isis had demanded. The group warned that Lt Kasasbeh would be killed if Rishawi was not brought out from custody. |
| By late on Friday, Japan’s deputy foreign minister Yasuhide Nakayama had warned that their negotiations were “in a state of deadlock”. | By late on Friday, Japan’s deputy foreign minister Yasuhide Nakayama had warned that their negotiations were “in a state of deadlock”. |
| Flight Lieutenant Moaz Youssef al-Kasasbeh, 26, was taken hostage when his plane crashed last week whilst undertaking US-led air strikes against Isis (EPA) | Flight Lieutenant Moaz Youssef al-Kasasbeh, 26, was taken hostage when his plane crashed last week whilst undertaking US-led air strikes against Isis (EPA) |
| While Isis delivered its ransom demands, Mr Goto’s family had publicly called for Mr Abe to negotiate. | While Isis delivered its ransom demands, Mr Goto’s family had publicly called for Mr Abe to negotiate. |
| His mother Junko Ishido said in an appeal last week: “Kenji was always saying 'I hope to save lives of children on battlefields'. He was reporting war from a neutral position.” On social media, an ‘I am Kenji’ campaign had developed in recent days, using the ‘Je Suis Charlie’ motif that internet users used to show solidarity after the gun killings at French magazine Charlie Hebdo’s Paris offices earlier this month. | |
| In the video released on Saturday, the apparent killer spoke with a British-sounding accent. Mr Goto did not speak in the one-minute long film. | In the video released on Saturday, the apparent killer spoke with a British-sounding accent. Mr Goto did not speak in the one-minute long film. |
| The masked man blamed Mr Abe’s policies and warned that Japan was now a target, claiming that it was now “foolish allies in the Satanic coalition.” | The masked man blamed Mr Abe’s policies and warned that Japan was now a target, claiming that it was now “foolish allies in the Satanic coalition.” |
| While Japan has not sent military assistance to face Isis in Syria and Iraq, it pledged $200 million dollars in aid and to help train the local resistance. | While Japan has not sent military assistance to face Isis in Syria and Iraq, it pledged $200 million dollars in aid and to help train the local resistance. |
| Three Americans and two Britons have been killed in similar circumstances, although without public demands for ransoms of money or prisoner exchanges. | Three Americans and two Britons have been killed in similar circumstances, although without public demands for ransoms of money or prisoner exchanges. |
| US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were beheaded, before British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning. | US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were beheaded, before British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning. |
| Abdul-Rahman Kassig, formerly known as Peter Kassig, an American aid worker, was also killed. | Abdul-Rahman Kassig, formerly known as Peter Kassig, an American aid worker, was also killed. |
| On Saturday evening, White House spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said: “We have seen the video purporting to show that Japanese citizen Kenji Goto has been murdered by the terrorist group ISIL. We are working to confirm its authenticity. The United States strongly condemns ISIL's actions and we call for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. We stand in solidarity with our ally Japan.” | On Saturday evening, White House spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said: “We have seen the video purporting to show that Japanese citizen Kenji Goto has been murdered by the terrorist group ISIL. We are working to confirm its authenticity. The United States strongly condemns ISIL's actions and we call for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. We stand in solidarity with our ally Japan.” |