Jordan still ready for prisoner swap to free pilot

Jordan has said it is still ready to hand over a jailed Iraqi militant to Islamic State in a swap deal if a captured Jordanian pilot is released, even after a second Japanese hostage was beheaded by the militant faction.

Jordan’s security and military were making constant checks to see whether the pilot, Muath al-Kasaesbeh, was still alive, government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani said.

Mr Kasaesbeh was captured in December after his F-16 fighter jet crashed in territory controlled by the militants in Syria.

“We are still ready to hand over the convict Sajida al-Rishawi in return for the return of our son and our hero,” Mr Momani said.

There has been public pressure on Jordan to negotiate with IS, an offshoot of al-Qaeda which has seized territory in Syria and Iraq.

Protests have erupted in Karak, the home town of the pilot, who is from an important Jordanian tribe that forms the backbone of support for the Hashemite monarchy.

Beheading condemned

Jordan’s government also condemned the purported beheading of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, shown in an IS video released on Saturday. Mr Goto had been held captive along with Mr Kasaesbeh but the footage made no mention of the Jordanian.

A palace statement said King Abdullah had received a phone call from Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe thanking him for his efforts to secure the release of Mr Goto “who was killed in cold blood and without any justification”.

The monarch was quoted as saying the “cowardly criminal act” was rejected by all laws and had nothing to do with Islam.

IS has demanded the release of failed suicide bomber Rishawi in exchange for the pilot’s life. – (Reuters)