A few days ago, we shared with you news regarding the two Japanese hostages being held captive by the terrorist group ISIS in exchange for a $200 million ransom from the Japanese Government. Click HERE if you missed it. Subsequently, after the 3 day ultimatum lapsed, ISIS released a new video clip showing that one of the two Japanese men held as hostages, Haruna Yukawa has been beheaded in a message delivered by his fellow Japanese hostage Kenji Goto.
The video showing the voice claimed to be Kenji Goto showed his fellow Japanese captive with a decapitated head. They also blamed their decision in taking this action on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who they claimed had shunned their demand. The group is reportedly no longer interested in the $200 million ransom but the new deal being proposed is to exchange a prisoner, a female suicide bomber Sajida Mubarak who was taken into custody after a botch-up attempt to blow herself up, for the other Japanese hostage. ISIS wants to get her released in lieu of Kenji Goto, the purportedly hostage still alive as depicted in the latest video clip.
The President of the United States, Barrack Obama, has however condemned this killing in a statement saying: “The United States strongly condemns the brutal murder of Japanese citizen Haruna Yukawa by the terrorist group ISIS.” ….“We stand shoulder to shoulder with our ally Japan. …We will work together to bring the perpetrators of these murders to justice and will continue to take decisive action to degrade and ultimately defeat.”
