Jordan won’t free IS female prisoner without proof pilot alive

29 January 2015, 5:23 pm

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Jordan says that it would not release an Iraqi female jihadist until it receives proof that a Jordanian pilot held by the Islamic State group is alive.

IS has threatened to execute the airman unless Jordan frees Sajida al-Rishawi by sunset Thursday in exchange for Japanese hostage Kenji Goto.

“Jordan is willing to exchange Sajida al-Rishawi for the Jordanian pilot. At this point we want to emphasize that we have asked for proof of life from Daesh (IS) and we have not received anything yet,” Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani says.

“Rishawi is still in Jordan and the exchange will happen once we receive the proof of life that we asked for,” he tells reporters. He makes no mention of Goto.

— AFP