ISIS Hostage Says He'll Be Killed Within 24 Hours
— -- In a chilling new video from the terror group ISIS, the Japanese journalist held hostage allegedly says that he and another captive have been given 24 hours or less to live unless a convicted terrorist is freed from prison.
The new video uploaded online early Tuesday, shows a still image of journalist Kenji Goto and plays audio, purportedly of Goto’s voice, as he says he has been told it is his "last message" and that "time is running very short."
"It is me for her," he says, referring to Sajida al-Rishawi, a female would-be suicide bomber who confessed to her role in a string of deadly al Qaeda attacks in Jordan in 2005. She has been on death row in Jordan ever since. In a previous video, ISIS first made the demand for al-Rishawi's release.
The voice attributed to Goto says first ISIS will kill a Jordanian pilot they've been holding captive, and then himself if the terrorists' demands aren't met. In the still image, Goto holds another photo of a man who resembles the Jordanian pilot.
Goto’s mother, Junko Ishido, told a Japanese news outlet the voice was her son’s.
“We don’t have much time left,” she said, according to a translation by NHK. “It is extremely urgent. I want the government to do whatever it takes.”
A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council told ABC News officials are aware of the video but declined to comment further. The video has not been officially authenticated, but top U.S. and foreign officials treated the previous video, which also appeared to show the body of a murdered Japanese hostage, as authentic.
After the video emerged, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he “talked by telephone with leaders of countries concerned and asked them for any possible support to collect intelligence and get the hostage freed as soon as possible.”
“The situation is extremely difficult, but we will work with other nations extremely closely and do whatever we can to secure an early release,” he said.
