Secret talks in Jordan try to win release of hostages

[webfact]

Secret talks in Jordan try to win release of hostages
By ZEINA KARAM and YURI KAGEYAMA

BEIRUT (AP) — Secret talks were underway Tuesday in Jordan in the presence of a Japanese envoy to secure the freedom of a Japanese journalist and a Jordanian pilot captured by Islamic State extremists and purportedly threatened with death within 24 hours.

The global efforts to free Japanese freelance journalist Kenji Goto and Jordanian Lt. Mu'ath al-Kaseasbeh gained greater urgency with the release of the apparent ultimatum from the Islamic State group.

In the message, the extremists say the two hostages will be killed within 24 hours unless Jordan frees Sajida al-Rishawi, an Iraqi woman sentenced to death in Jordan for her involvement in a 2005 terrorist attack on a hotel that killed 60 people.

The pilot's father, Safi al-Kaseasbeh, made a last-ditch appeal for Jordan "to meet the demands" of the Islamic State group.

"All people must know, from the head of the regime to everybody else, that the safety of Mu'ath means the stability of Jordan, and the death of Mu'ath means chaos in Jordan," he told The Associated Press.

About 200 relatives of the pilot demonstrated outside the prime minister's office in the Jordanian capital of Amman, chanting anti-government slogans and urging it to meet the captors' demands.

A member of Jordan's parliament said the country was in indirect talks with the militants to secure the hostages' release. Bassam Al-Manasseer, chairman of the foreign affairs committee, told Bloomberg News the negotiations are taking place through religious and tribal leaders in Iraq, adding that Jordan and Japan won't negotiate directly with IS and won't free al-Rishawi in exchange for Goto only.

Manaseer's comments were the strongest suggestion yet that authorities in Jordan and Japan may be open to a prisoner exchange, something that would go against the policy of the kingdom's main ally, the U.S., which opposes negotiating with extremists.

Japan's Deputy Foreign Minister Yasuhide Nakayama was in Amman to coordinate hostage-release efforts with Jordan.

The hostage saga involving the two Japanese nationals has stunned Japan and triggered criticism of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over his government's handling of the crisis. The militants have reportedly beheaded one Japanese hostage, Haruna Yukawa, and have threatened to kill Goto — along with al-Kaseasbeh — setting a Wednesday afternoon deadline.

The video matched a message released over the weekend, though neither bore the logo of the Islamic State group's al-Furqan media arm. The weekend video showed a still photo of Goto holding what appears to be a photo of Yukawa's body.

The AP could not independently verify either video. However, several militant websites affiliated with the Islamic State group referenced the latest video and posted links to it Tuesday.

The message holds the Jordanian government responsible for delaying the release of al-Rishawi and says that unless she is freed within 24 hours, the pilot, followed by Goto, will be killed, adding that this would be the group's last message.

"I have only 24 hours left to live and the pilot has even less," according to the audio, purportedly from Goto.

It was not clear why the group chose to release only audio from Goto. Messages from other Western hostages held by the group have been read by the captives on camera.

Japanese officials held emergency meetings after the video's release. Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said he had seen the video released, but did not comment on its authenticity.

"In this extremely tough situation, we are continuing as before to request the cooperation of the Jordanian government to work toward the immediate release of Mr. Goto," Suga said.

Nakayama earlier expressed hope the two hostages would return home "with a smile on their faces."

"I hope we can all firmly work hard and join hands to cooperate, and for the two countries (Japan and Jordan) to cooperate, in order for us to see the day when the Jordanian pilot and our Japanese national Mr. Goto, can both safely return to their own countries with a smile on their faces," he told reporters late Monday night after another day of crisis talks in the Jordanian capital.

Tuesday marked the first time a Japanese official mentioned Mu'ath al-Kaseasbeh, who has been held by IS after his Jordanian F-16 went down near the group's de facto capital of Raqqa in December. It wasn't immediately clear when the pilot's possible release had entered into the negotiations.

The 26-year-old Jordanian is the first foreign military pilot to fall into the extremists' hands since an U.S.-led coalition began its aerial campaign against the Islamic State group in August. Jordan is part of the coalition.

It was the first time that the group publicly demanded the release of prisoners in exchange for hostages. Previous captives are believed to have been released in exchange for ransom, although governments involved have refused to confirm any payments were made.

Goto, a freelance journalist, was seized in October in Syria, apparently while trying to rescue Yukawa, 42, who was captured by the militants last summer.

The weekend message retracted a demand for $200 million in ransom for the two Japanese, made in an earlier online message.

Japanese officials have indicated they are treating the video released over the weekend as authentic and thus accepting the likelihood that Yukawa was dead.

Securing the release of al-Rishawi would be a major propaganda coup for the Islamic State and would allow the group to reaffirm its links to al-Qaida in Iraq.

The mother of another Jordanian prisoner, Ziad al-Karboli, told the AP on Tuesday that her family was told that the Islamic State group also was seeking his release as part of a swap. It was unclear whether it was related to a possible deal involving the Japanese hostage.

Al-Karboli, an aide to a former al-Qaida leader in Iraq, was sentenced to death in 2008 for killing a Jordanian citizen.
___

Kageyama reported from Tokyo. Associated Press writers Omar Akour in Amman, Jordan, Jon Gambrell and Maamoun Youssef in Cairo, and Kaori Hitomi in Tokyo contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-01-28

[PepperMe]

Don't give in to terrorists, they will just continue to do it if they know it works.

It sounds callous, but once you meet their demands, they will probably kill them anyway.

They are already dead IMHO.

[Morch]

Don't give in to terrorists, they will just continue to do it if they know it works.

It sounds callous, but once you meet their demands, they will probably kill them anyway.

They are already dead IMHO.

There were previous cases where IS hostages were released, following acceptance of demands. I am not suggesting that this is a good idea, just that the assumption that IS cannot be bargained with is incorrect. Also, these sort of staunch views are easier to hold when the hostages are not complete strangers.

[arjunadawn]

Don't give in to terrorists, they will just continue to do it if they know it works.

It sounds callous, but once you meet their demands, they will probably kill them anyway.

They are already dead IMHO.

There were previous cases where IS hostages were released, following acceptance of demands. I am not suggesting that this is a good idea, just that the assumption that IS cannot be bargained with is incorrect. Also, these sort of staunch views are easier to hold when the hostages are not complete strangers.

Yea, you kind capture the issue. Bargaining for hostages is as old as human history. The US has a policy of no bargaining because the US has... no other policy. If the US would bargain for hostages, here and there, as needed, with no avowed policy one way or another, but instead had a real-world policy of hunting down and sensationally killing any and all complicit in the injury to its citizens, across any border, across any time, then the hostage taking would not be such a dead end for all involved.

The curious footnote to this story, IMO, is that the game is now "on" for King Abdullah. When a Prince he was widely educated in unconventional and direct action warfare. He was an officer in the Special Forces, a friend to America, and was active with US special forces. In know a friend who personally knew him. (Quick story: Prince Abdullah and a US A Team of Special Forces were HALO jumping in Jordan. "Tommy" broke his back on the jump and was hospitalized. The next day an entourage of of the Prince and dog pecker gnats from the US Embassy joined the Prince at the bedside. He wished his friend well, turned, and was handed a box. He opened it and presented it to him; It was a solid gold diamond encrusted rolex watch. An embassy official declined and said he was unable to receive gifts or emollients. The Prince paused, smiled, and when finished talking, left. The next day the guy woke up and removed his arm from under the pillow to find the gold diamond rolex on his wrist. Cool story, no more).

Jordan exists at great peril right now. The previous assertions that Hashemites can trace their legacy back the prophet have no meaning any longer. There is considerable underground resistance in Jordan and I would not be surprised if this means Jordan is now in the cross-hairs directly. I think the IS demands established a casus belli for another front.

[Morch]

Don't give in to terrorists, they will just continue to do it if they know it works.

It sounds callous, but once you meet their demands, they will probably kill them anyway.

They are already dead IMHO.

There were previous cases where IS hostages were released, following acceptance of demands. I am not suggesting that this is a good idea, just that the assumption that IS cannot be bargained with is incorrect. Also, these sort of staunch views are easier to hold when the hostages are not complete strangers.

Yea, you kind capture the issue. Bargaining for hostages is as old as human history. The US has a policy of no bargaining because the US has... no other policy. If the US would bargain for hostages, here and there, as needed, with no avowed policy one way or another, but instead had a real-world policy of hunting down and sensationally killing any and all complicit in the injury to its citizens, across any border, across any time, then the hostage taking would not be such a dead end for all involved.

The curious footnote to this story, IMO, is that the game is now "on" for King Abdullah. When a Prince he was widely educated in unconventional and direct action warfare. He was an officer in the Special Forces, a friend to America, and was active with US special forces. In know a friend who personally knew him. (Quick story: Prince Abdullah and a US A Team of Special Forces were HALO jumping in Jordan. "Tommy" broke his back on the jump and was hospitalized. The next day an entourage of of the Prince and dog pecker gnats from the US Embassy joined the Prince at the bedside. He wished his friend well, turned, and was handed a box. He opened it and presented it to him; It was a solid gold diamond encrusted rolex watch. An embassy official declined and said he was unable to receive gifts or emollients. The Prince paused, smiled, and when finished talking, left. The next day the guy woke up and removed his arm from under the pillow to find the gold diamond rolex on his wrist. Cool story, no more).

Jordan exists at great peril right now. The previous assertions that Hashemites can trace their legacy back the prophet have no meaning any longer. There is considerable underground resistance in Jordan and I would not be surprised if this means Jordan is now in the cross-hairs directly. I think the IS demands established a casus belli for another front.

Agree with the first paragraph, and thanks for the story.

Jordan is indeed in a tough spot, but that's hardly news - always shaky ground there, even if it doesn't look so from the outside.

As for IS demands indicating intentions, dunno. The pilot was Jordanian. Would things be different if he belonged to another Arab air-force participating in the coalition actions? Not too sure that IS can, at this point, mount a new major offensive, or afford to open a new front.

[arjunadawn]

Don't give in to terrorists, they will just continue to do it if they know it works.

It sounds callous, but once you meet their demands, they will probably kill them anyway.

They are already dead IMHO.

There were previous cases where IS hostages were released, following acceptance of demands. I am not suggesting that this is a good idea, just that the assumption that IS cannot be bargained with is incorrect. Also, these sort of staunch views are easier to hold when the hostages are not complete strangers.

Yea, you kind capture the issue. Bargaining for hostages is as old as human history. The US has a policy of no bargaining because the US has... no other policy. If the US would bargain for hostages, here and there, as needed, with no avowed policy one way or another, but instead had a real-world policy of hunting down and sensationally killing any and all complicit in the injury to its citizens, across any border, across any time, then the hostage taking would not be such a dead end for all involved.

The curious footnote to this story, IMO, is that the game is now "on" for King Abdullah. When a Prince he was widely educated in unconventional and direct action warfare. He was an officer in the Special Forces, a friend to America, and was active with US special forces. In know a friend who personally knew him. (Quick story: Prince Abdullah and a US A Team of Special Forces were HALO jumping in Jordan. "Tommy" broke his back on the jump and was hospitalized. The next day an entourage of of the Prince and dog pecker gnats from the US Embassy joined the Prince at the bedside. He wished his friend well, turned, and was handed a box. He opened it and presented it to him; It was a solid gold diamond encrusted rolex watch. An embassy official declined and said he was unable to receive gifts or emollients. The Prince paused, smiled, and when finished talking, left. The next day the guy woke up and removed his arm from under the pillow to find the gold diamond rolex on his wrist. Cool story, no more).

Jordan exists at great peril right now. The previous assertions that Hashemites can trace their legacy back the prophet have no meaning any longer. There is considerable underground resistance in Jordan and I would not be surprised if this means Jordan is now in the cross-hairs directly. I think the IS demands established a casus belli for another front.

Agree with the first paragraph, and thanks for the story.

Jordan is indeed in a tough spot, but that's hardly news - always shaky ground there, even if it doesn't look so from the outside.

As for IS demands indicating intentions, dunno. The pilot was Jordanian. Would things be different if he belonged to another Arab air-force participating in the coalition actions? Not too sure that IS can, at this point, mount a new major offensive, or afford to open a new front.

Yea, it is a silly story but I have so few king or prince stories to tell

While I suggest Jordan represents a new front, perhaps, its not in the way one might think- Jordan was always a target. Jordan always existed at great peril with this nascent threat growing around them. Few realize that before Jordan was actively against IS it was covertly working with westerners in training "moderate" Syrians. So, IS is well aware that not only do they consider Abdullah illegitimate they recognize he has actively worked against IS. It is just my take; but I think we will begin hearing much more about Jordan in the months ahead.