Japanese Govt' Continues Attempt to Release ISIS Hostage
19 October 2018 16:09 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Tokyo - Japan has asked Jordan for help in securing the release of Kenji Goto, a veteran war reporter and Japanese hostage of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The request came after a video released on Tuesday, January 27, 2015, appeared to show him saying he could be killed in 24 hours.
"Tell the Japanese government to put all their political pressure on Jordan," said the voice on the video. The narrator latter added that Goto will be killed unless Jordan release would-be suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi from death row.
Jordanian state television later said that the authorities were trying to confirm the authenticity of the video.
The hostage issue has become the largest diplomatic crisis that Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has faced in just over two years in office. Abe has ordered his government to continue to seek for Jordan's help in releasing Goto.
WINONA AMANDA | REUTERS