IS Demands $200m (£133m) To Be Paid Within 72 Hours

 

Islamic State has demanded a ransom of $200m (£133m) to be paid within 72 hours.

They issued a video threatening to kill two Japanese hostages unless they receive payment.

In the video, a black-clad militant brandishing a knife addresses the camera in English as he stands between two hostages wearing orange jumpsuits.

"You now have 72 hours to pressure your government into making a wise decision by paying the $200m to save the lives of your citizens," he says.

The footage, identified as being made by the militant group's al Furqan media arm and posted on militant websites, also sees the militant criticising the Japanese government's support for US-led airstrikes against IS.

But the Japanese government has said it will not bow to extremism. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a news conference in Jerusalem: "I strongly demand they not be harmed and that they be immediately released.

"I am extremely indignant at such an act."The militant who appears in the video is apparently the same man involved in the beheadings of other IS captives.

Speaking in a British accent, he says: "To the prime minister of Japan: Although you are more than 8,000 and 500 kilometres (5,280 miles) from the Islamic State, you willingly have volunteered to take part in this crusade.

You have proudly donated $100m to kill our women and children, to destroy the homes of the Muslims." The two hostages are identified as Kenji Goto Jogo and Haruna Yukawa.In August, a Japanese citizen believed to be Mr Yukawa - a private military company operator - was kidnapped in Syria. IS has seized swathes of territory across Iraq and Syria to form an Islamic Caliphate.

Videos featuring a British-accented jihadi were published showing the murders of US hostages James Foley and Steven Sotloff and British hostages David Haines and Alan Henning.

The Foreign Office said it was investigating the video and reports that the militant is British."We are aware of the video and we are studying the content," a spokeswoman said.