Authorities verifying IS video offering swap deal for Japanese hostage

AMMAN/TOKYO — Authorities were on Saturday verifying the authenticity of a video purporting to have been released by the Islamic State (IS), announcing it had killed one of two Japanese hostages they were holding and demanding that Jordan free an Iraqi female terrorist in return for the other hostage. 

On Saturday, Japan’s government said a recording appeared to show that the captive Haruna Yukawa had been killed by IS.

The audio recording apparently showed the other Japanese captive Kenji Goto, a reporter, as saying the militants would release him in exchange for the release of Al Qaeda-linked attempted female suicide bomber Sajida Rishawi, an Iraqi held in Jordan.

Rishawi is an Iraqi woman who was captured in connection with a failed suicide bombing at  one of the hotels of Amman in 2005. According to court documents, she was supposed to detonate an explosive belt after another terrorist blew himself up, in an orchestrated Al Qaeda attack that targeted two other hotels in the capital on November 9. More than 60 people died in the attacks on three hotels, and Rishawi is on the death row.

A well-informed security source told The Jordan Times over the phone on Saturday that authorities were working to determine the authenticity of the audio that purported Goto as confirming the execution of Yukawa by IS and unveiling the group’s willingness to exchange him for Rishawi.

“We are now verifying the authenticity of the video and we will respond accordingly,” the source, who requested anonymity, said, adding: “We will issue a statement then to keep the public abreast of all developments.” 

Reports and analysts have expected that IS would demand the release of Rishawi and another detained Iraqi terrorist, Ziad Al Karboli, in return for detained Jordanian pilot Muath Kassasbeh, whose plane crashed in Syria and was taken hostage late last year. 

Earlier Saturday, His Majesty King Abdullah received a telephone call from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during which the King and Abe “discussed means to boost bilateral cooperation and regional developments”, according to the Royal Court.

In Tokyo, meanwhile, Abe called for the immediate release of the Japanese journalist held by IS.

Yukawa was seized by militants in August, after he went to Syria in what he described as a plan to launch a security company. Goto, a veteran war correspondent, went into Syria in late October seeking to secure Yukawa’s release, according to friends and business associates.

The YouTube video showed an image of a gaunt Goto in an orange T-shirt and a recording of what appeared to be him speaking in English.

“We are using every diplomatic channel and means to work towards a release,” Abe told reporters in brief remarks after a hastily called meeting with his foreign, defence and other ministers.

“This act of terrorism is an outrageous and unacceptable act of violence,” Abe said. “I feel a strong sense of anger and firmly condemn this. I again strongly demand the immediate release of Mr Kenji Goto unharmed.”

US intelligence agencies were working to verify the authenticity of the recording, US National Security Council deputy spokesman Patrick Ventrell said in a statement.

A deadline by IS militants for Japan to pay a $200 million ransom for Yukawa and Goto expired on Friday.