Friends and family members of a Jordanian pilot being held by Islamic State said on Friday (January 30) they believe he is still alive.
They gathered in capital Amman, seeking information about his fate, a day after the deadline passed for the release of an Iraqi prisoner in Jordan.
An audio message purportedly from a Japanese journalist also captured by the insurgents said the pilot would be killed “immediately” unless Jordan released Sajida al-Rishawi, who is on death row for her role in a 2005 suicide bomb attack that killed 60 people in Amman.
Muath al-Kasaesbeh was captured after his jet crashed in northeastern Syria in December during a bombing mission against Islamic State.
The spokesperson of ‘We are all Muath’ campaign, Saed al-Dalaeen, said they had positive information.
“Negotiations are still going on and calls are going on internally and outside to reach a positive result that pleases everyone. There is simply news that the pilot is still alive and we hope that he will be back with us soon,” he said.
One of the pilot’s uncles said they had information from unofficial sources.
“Unofficial information — there are some people who assure us. We are not sure about the trustworthiness of this information, but it is part of assurance, no more no less, but from unofficial parties,” Fahid al-Kasaesbeh told reporters.
Another uncle said the family had reason to believe the pilot was alive.
“We have some signal that he is still alive otherwise they will not negotiate … since the negotiation is going on, it means the officer is still alive,” Yaseen Rawashdeh said.
Jordan said on Thursday (January 29) it will only consider releasing al-Rishawi once it has proof that the pilot was still alive.
Jordan’s army said on Friday state agencies were working to get information on the pilot.
Reuters
