Amman, Jan 29 (IANS) The Jordan Armed Forces Thursday said they were looking into a new audio clip by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in which it threatened to kill a captured Jordanian pilot.
Late Wednesday, the IS released an audio clip, purportedly from Japanese hostage Kenji Goto who is being held by the IS, asking Jordan to bring the female suicide bomber, Sajida al-Rishawi, to the Turkish border by sunset Thursday Mosul time or the pilot, Muath al-Kaseasbeh, would be killed.
In the audio clip, the IS said if Sajida was handed over, the Japanese hostage would be released, according to Xinhua news agency.
In its statement, the Jordanian army said the priority was the safety of the pilot, who was captured by the IS late last year after his plane crashed in Raqqah in Syria.
Jordanian authorities said they were willing to hand over the Iraqi suicide bomber if the Jordanian pilot was released and demanded a proof that he was still alive.
Sajida al-Rishawi was convicted for her role in a series of bombings in the Jordanian capital of Amman in 2005 which killed around 60 people. The suicide bomber was captured and imprisoned after she failed to detonate her explosive vest.