Deadline for ISIS Ransom Passes, but Fate of Captives Unknown
Published at(TOKYO) — The deadline set by ISIS for a ransom payment has passed, leaving the fate of two Japanese captives unknown.
The captors, specifically the ISIS fighter dubbed “Jihadi John” because of his British accent, gave the Japanese government 72 hours to pay a $200 million ransom earlier this week.
The deadline expired in the early hours of Friday morning, but there have not yet been any public announcements from the captors about the fate of Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa.
“The situation is dire, but the government is determined to continue its utmost efforts toward an early release of the hostages,” Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said at a news conference in Japan Friday. “And Japan will continue to contribute to the international fight against terrorism.”
Goto’s mother also made a plea for her son’s safety during a news conference Friday in Japan, saying that he should be saved because he has a wife and 2-week-old baby.
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