Japanese officials are still working to verify if the video released, showing a photo projecting hostage Haruna Yukawa has been killed, is authentic
The 72 hour deadline has passed, since The Islamic State group ISIS threatened Japan on Tuesday, threatening to behead the two Japanese hostages within 72 hours unless it received a $200 million ransom. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is calling a newly released online video supposedly from ISIS, “outrageous and unforgivable.” The online message released Saturday morning claims one of the hostages, Haruna Yukawa, has been killed. ISIS is demanding a prisoner exchange for the other hostage Kenji Goto .
The post was deleted almost immediately, and militants on an affiliated Islamic State group site disagree about its authenticity. It was different than recently released footage, being that it only showed a still photo of Goto holding up a picture of his fellow hostage Haruna Yukawa beheaded; as an unidentified voice spoke with a message to Goto’s family…
I am Kenji Goto Jogo. You have seen the photo of my cellmate Haruna slaughtered in the land of the Islamic Caliphate. You were warned. You were given a deadline, and so my captives acted upon their words.”
At this time the fate of the Japanese hostages is still not clear; as Goto’s mother follows janpanese tradition, by apologizing to the Japanese people for the trouble her son has caused. The Source will update this story as it developes.
-Infinite Wiz(@InfiniteWiz)
