ISIS Executes Japanese Hostage and Issues Frightening Ultimatum for the Release of Second Hostage! According to CNN: “On Tuesday, ISIS released a video threatening to kill…two men–Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa–unless Japan paid the group $200 million within 72 hours.” This was the latest in a string of videos in which ISIS displays kidnapped foreigners, demanding various actions be taken to spare their lives. ISIS has thus far executed numerous foreigners, including journalists James Foley, and Steven Sotloff, aid workers David Haines, Alan Henning, and Peter Kassig, and French citizen Herve Gourdel. Japan, as part of a coalition of several countries including the United States, does not typically engage ransom demands–especially since an incident in 1977, in which they paid a ransom of $6 million to terrorists, but according to Fox News: “Japan has said it is working to free the hostages, but has not stated whether it would pay the ransom.” Now it seems that hostage Haruna Yukawa has been executed. Once again, from CNN: “A picture and audio posted online Saturday purport to show that one of ISIS’s two Japanese hostages has been killed after a deadline for ransom passed, and appears to relay ISIS’s new demand for the other’s freedom–a prisoner exchange.” As reported by CNN, ISIS has allegedly altered their demands. In exchange for remaining hostage Kenji Gota’s life, ISIS no longer wants money, but a prisoner: “Over Saturday’s post, a man’s voice claiming to be Goto’s says in English that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is to blame for Yukawa’s death…The voice then relays ISIS’ new demand–the release of Sajida Rishawi, a woman arrested in Jordan in 2005 on suspicion of planning to take part terror attacks.” A prisoner exchange would be extremely difficult in this situation, as Japan has no authority to release Jordanian prisoners. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would have to strike a deal with the Jordanian government, which would likely take some time. However, in terms of prisoner swaps, there is recent precedent–though many would argue that it was a dangerous decision. Last year, the Obama administration negotiated a deal to release five high level detainees from Guantanamo Bay, in exchange for Private (now Sgt.) Bowe Bergdahl. The Obama administration faced swift, and critical blowback, and accusations of broken protocol. According to The Washington Times: “The Obama administration conducted the negotiations behind the back of Congress, and several soldiers who served with Sgt. Bergdahl, angry that the president traded five battle-hardened terrorists they had risked their lives to capture, said the sergeant had actually deserted his post.” Japan may not have to face the same critical hurdles as the Obama administration, but negotiating with terrorists is a dangerous gambit. Time is running out for Japan to take action. https://youtube/watch?v=qFW1xBCNLh0
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 19:04:44 +0000
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