Daily Times

As more time goes by, militants belonging to Islamic State (IS) show that there is no letting up in their brutality. The first in what will no doubt be a continuing series of barbaric acts in 2015 sees another online video upload by a member of IS, this time, apparently, showing the dead body of one of its two Japanese hostages, Haruna Yukawa. The other hostage, Kenji Goto, is shown holding the body and telling viewers that the murder is the fault of Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Friday was the deadline for the payment of $ 200 million cash for the release of the Japanese hostages. Haruna Yukama was in Syria, wanting to set up a private security firm in the conflict-riddled country. Kenji Goto is a freelance journalist who decided to go to IS territory to extricate Yukama. Those dreams are dashed and now the clock seems to be ticking for Goto who is next in line for beheading if IS demands are not met. This time they have stepped up their demand, announcing the ultimatum of the release of Sajida al-Rishawi, an Iraqi woman facing the death penalty in Jordan for her role in a series of bomb attacks in 2005 that killed dozens in Iraq. IS seems to have stepped up from ransom to prisoner swapping.

IS has established a pattern: kill brutally all those who offer resistance and capture foreigners to extricate as much advantage and money from the native countries of their captives. Most western countries, including the US, say they do not negotiate with terrorists. There have been some instances though where prisoners have been freed, feeding rumours that some states do bow down to terrorist pressure after all. However, the general rule is to never negotiate, no matter how awful the consequences may be. IS has murdered British and US hostages, with this being the first Japanese civilian to die at their savage hands.

In this climate of conflict and murder, where every dissenter, opposition and foreigner is kosher, westerners, whether belonging to the media or travelling freelance, must practice the utmost safety and caution when travelling to places where IS holds sway. This is a cold, murderous group, known for killing adversaries in twisted, cruel ways and for seldom showing mercy. It is unlikely Goto’s captors will get the prison swap demand answered in the affirmative and one can see that, in all likelihood, the second Japanese captive may just meet the same fate as his friend. IS does not believe in kindness. *