Jordan has threatened to execute all of its Islamic State prisoners if militants kill Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh.
Government officials warned that Sajida al-Rishawi, a would-be suicide bomber, and other jailed Islamic State commanders would be “quickly judged and sentenced” in retaliation for the pilot’s death, The Daily Mail reported Friday.
The warning comes after a deadline for a possible prisoner swap allegedly set by Islamic State militants passed Thursday with no word on the fate of Mr. al-Kaseasbeh or Japanese hostage Kenji Goto.
Shortly after reports of the latest ultimatum emerged, Jordan issued a statement saying they were still waiting for proof from the militants that the captured pilot was alive.
Jordan had agreed to free Ms. Al-Rishawi who failed an Al Qaeda suicide bombing mission. In return, Islamic State militants said they would not execute the 26-year-old pilot, who was captured in Decembers after crashing near the group’s headquarters in Raqqa, Syria.
In the latest audio recording, the terrorist group made no promise to release Mr. Al-Kaseabeh, but threatened to kill the pilot if Ms. Al-Rishawi was not released by sunset on Thursday.
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It was not clear what would happen to Mr. Goto is the deadline passed.
Japanese officials said they had no progress to report, but Japanese Prime Minister Shenzo Abe said every effort was being made to secure the journalist’s release.
’We are gathering and analysing information while asking for cooperation from Jordan and other countries, making every effort to free Kenji Goto,’ he told a parliamentary panel, according to the Daily Mail.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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