Could Japanese hostage Kenji Goto, who has been held prisoner and hostage by ISIS, be freed today?
Goto could possibly be released and freed by ISIS after Jordan agreed to hand over an Iraqi prisoner for a Jordanian pilot who has been captured by the militant group
ISIS terrorists have threatened to kill Kenji Goto after allegedly killing fellow Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa, if demands to release Iraqi prisoner Sajida al-Rishawi were not met.
Sajida al-Rishawi has been jailed in Jordan for ten years for her role in a suicide bomb attack in 2005.
ISIS previously stated that both the Jordanian pilot and the Japanese hostage will be freed in exchange for Al-Rishawi, who has been imprisoned for her role in the suicide bombing that killed 60 people in Amman.
This morning, Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani stated: "Jordan is ready to release prisoner Sajida al-Rishawi if the Jordanian pilot Lieutenant Muath al-Kasaesbeh is released and his life spared." However, he made no mention of Goto.
Meanwhile, another video surfaced entitled "the second public message of Kenji Goto to his family and the government of Japan" which featured a picture of Goto with an audio of what is purported to be him. In the picture, Goto is holding an image of Lieutenant Muath al-Kasaesbeh.
Goto says: "Time is running very short. I only have 24 hours left to live and the pilot has even less. The ball is now in the Jordanian's court."
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the murder of Haruna Yukawa last week.
Yasuhide Nakayama, Japan minister of foreign affairs, said: "We would like to work together with the Jordanian government to secure the release of Goto."
Goto's mother Ishido appealed for her son's life in a letter to Abe that she read out. "Please save Kenji's life. I call on you to work with all your strength in negotiations with the Jordanian government. His remaining time is very short ... I beg you to do everything in your power."
With Jordan agreeing to a prisoner swap, it remains to be seen whether the Jordanian pilot and Goto will be freed later today.
