Captured pilot burnt alive by ISIS; Jordan hangs two prisoners


Feb 4 (BBC): Jordan has confirmed the death of pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh after a video published online by Islamic State (IS) claimed to show him being burned alive.

The video shows a man standing in a cage engulfed in flames. Officials are working to confirm its authenticity.

Jordan's King Abdullah hailed Lt Kasasbeh as a hero, saying Jordan must "stand united" in the face of hardship.

The pilot was captured when his plane came down near Raqqa, Syria, during a mission against IS in December.

The video posted on Tuesday was distributed via a Twitter account known as a source for IS propaganda.

The highly produced 22-minute film includes a sequence showing the Jordanian pilot walking at gunpoint amongst rubble apparently caused by coalition air strikes that targeted jihadists.

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says that in a world already shocked by the calculated cruelty of Islamic State's actions, the horrific video is aimed primarily at Arab populations in Jordan and the Gulf states.

Jordanian state TV reports that Lt Kasasbeh, 26, was killed a month ago. Jordan had tried to secure his release since then.

The country has vowed "punishment and revenge" for his death, and the king described IS as a "deviant criminal group".

Jordan, which has joined the US-led coalition against IS, had been attempting to secure Lt Kasasbeh's release as part of a prisoner swap, offering to free Iraqi militant Sajida al-Rishawi in exchange.

She is a failed suicide bomber now on death row in Jordan for her role in attacks in the capital, Amman, that killed 60 people in 2005.

IS had sought Rishawi's release as part of a deal to free captive Japanese journalist Kenji Goto. A video that appeared to show Goto's dead body appeared three days ago.

Jordanians greeted the news with horror. Many have seen the gruesome video, barely edited, played over and over on television.

Hundreds gathered in the streets after dark, demanding revenge against Lt Kasasbeh's killers. Some also wanted to know why Jordan was involved in this fight at all.

The pilot's father was among supporters when the news came through. He and other family members have left the capital to mourn at home.

King Abdullah said Lt Kasasbeh had died defending his beliefs and homeland. The defence ministry said the pilot's blood would not have been shed in vain. It is promising a fitting punishment.

For many Jordanians, this has to begin with the quick execution of Sajida al-Rishawi, the failed al-Qaeda suicide bomber, jailed 10 years ago for her part in a spate of bombings against hotels here.

A spokesman for the Jordanian armed forces, Mamdouh al-Ameri, said Lt Kasasbeh had "fallen as a martyr".

"His blood will not be shed in vain," he said. "Our punishment and revenge will be as huge as the loss of the Jordanians."

Jordanian officials were quoted as saying Rishawi would be executed imminently, along with three other convicted militants.

 

Jordan Hangs Two Prisoners After Militants Kill Pilot

Amman, Feb 4 (AP): A Jordanian government spokesman says Jordan has executed two prisoners, including a would-be female suicide bomber from al-Qaeda.

The executions at dawn today came just hours after Islamic State militants released a video that purportedly showed a captured Jordanian fighter pilot being burned alive in a cage.

Jordan vowed a swift and lethal response.

Government spokesman Mohammed al-Momani said that two prisoners, Sajida al-Rishawi and Ziad al-Karbouli, were executed early today.

Al-Rishawi has been on death row for her role in a triple hotel bombing in the Jordanian capital Amman in 2005 that killed dozens.

  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • s k kamath, Udupi/mumbai

    Wed, Feb 04 2015

    Barbaric, Inhuman act by devils. I do not see any condemnation email by Daiji News readers, surprise.

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: Captured pilot burnt alive by ISIS; Jordan hangs two prisoners



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.