Clay Dubberly, ‘Doah Staff Writer
February 4, 2015

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) have captured a Jordanian pilot and executed a Japanese journalist, threatening to kill the Jordanian captive if Jordan does not release Islamic militant Sajida al-Rishawi, who was convicted in 2005 with an attempted suicide bombing.

Jordan has said that it will expedite the execution of Sajidal al-Rishawi as well as other ISIS commanders if their pilot, Lieutenant Muath al-Kaseasbeh, is not released.

Muath crashed his plane near the Islamic States’ HQ in the Syrian city of Raqqa in December.

ISIS threatened to kill Muath if a deadline was not kept for for the release of would-be suicide bomber al-Rishawi. After the Islamic state issued their ultimatum, Jordan said they would not release their prisoner if no proof of life was found for al-Rishawi.

IS released a video Saturday purportedly showing the beheading of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto.

In the video, Kenji is shown wearing a prisoner outfit similar to those worn by other captives executed by ISIS.

Rinko Jogo, Mr. Goto’s wife said before the video of her husband’s killing was released: “I fear that this is the last chance for my husband, and we now have only a few hours left.”

Japanese government spokesperson Yoshihide Shuga had said that Japan had “strong trust” in Jordan to rescue Goto.

IS posted an online audio recording saying that if their would-be suicide bomber was not returned to them that Lieutenant Muath would be killed.

The authenticity of the recording was unable to be verified.

After the deadline passed Thursday, Mar. 29, Muath’s brother, Jawdat Kaseasbeh, said that he and his family had “no clue” how successful negotiations had been. It became evident afterwards that ISIS had not cooperated.

In the video, the ISIS executor known as “Jihadi John” loomed over Kenji and said:

“To the Japanese government: You, like your foolish allies in the Satanic coalition, have yet to understand that we, by Allah’s grace, are an Islamic Caliphate with authority and power, an entire army thirsty for your blood. Abe, because of your reckless decision to take part in an unwinnable war, this knife will not only slaughter Kenji, but will also carry on and cause carnage wherever your people are found. So let the nightmare for Japan begin.”

The mention of “Abe” is likely referring to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Though it seems certain that the situation with Japanese captive Kenji Goto has failed, Jordan still maintains hope that Muath might be freed.

Rishawa, 44, the female militant currently on death row in Jordan, said that the suicide bombings in November 2005 which left 60 dead, was something she was hesitant to do. However, she still confessed and faces death by hanging.

Three of her brothers were al-Qaeda militants killed in combat.

Lieutenant Muath is the first foreign pilot to be captured since the U.S., and other countries began attacks on ISIS four months ago.

Relatives of Muath, as well as much of Jordan, believe that the war with ISIS is one they should not be involved in.

“They abandoned Muath, the son of the army!” protesters shouted at a meeting place in Amman for tribesmen from southern Jordan.