Japan presses Jordan for help in IS hostage release after death threat vid

PanARMENIAN.Net - Japan pressed Jordan for help in securing the release of Kenji Goto, a Japanese hostage of Islamic State militants, after a video on Tuesday, Jan 27 appeared to show him saying he could be killed in 24 hours, according to Reuters.

"Tell the Japanese government to put all their political pressure on Jordan," said the voice on the video, addressing the Japanese people and saying he will be killed unless Jordan frees would-be suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi from death row.

Jordanian state television, quoting an army source, said authorities were trying to authenticate the video. It would be the third involving the 47-year-old Goto, a veteran war reporter.

"The relevant agencies are working on verifying the authenticity of the voice recording that is attributed to Daesh," the source said, using an acronym for Islamic State.

The hostage issue is the deepest diplomatic crisis Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has faced in just over two years in office.

Confronting "an extremely severe situation," Abe ordered his government to continue its policy of seeking Jordan's help in releasing Goto, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters after a meeting of national security officials.

The voice in the video said another Islamic State captive, Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh, has a shorter time to live than Goto. Some media reports have said a swap of Goto and the pilot for al-Rishawi and another militant prisoner held by Jordan was being discussed.

Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the video, but Suga said it appeared to show Goto and the voice resembled that of a video on Saturday that U.S. and Japanese officials have said appeared to be genuine.