As deadline passes for IS hostages, skepticism over ransom demand

The 72-hour deadline ISIS imposed on a $200 million ransom demand for the lives of two Japanese hostages passed on Friday, but intelligence officials and experts on the Islamist terror group said the extortion ploy was political and not financially motivated. ”It’s more political than financial extortion,” one intelligence official deeply familiar with ISIS strategy and tactics told ABC News. A senior intelligence official added that Washington is primarily focused on any remaining American hostages, noting that a female aid worker in her late 20s is still believed to be in ISIS hands. Ransom demands for her and others later murdered were never taken seriously, given the enormous figure demanded by the group and minimal email communication with hostages’ families.

I think that this is part of the ISIS strategy to increase the cost of participation [in the U.S.-led coalition] for anyone who opposes them. It’s about imposing a political cost.

Terrorism expert J.M. Berger, author of a forthcoming book on ISIS

Notably, Jihad John didn’t offer contact information or make payment arrangements even if the Japanese government had wished to pay up — though Japanese leaders explicitly said they would not fork over any cash in the effort to have the lives of journalist Kenji Goto and adventurer Haruna Yukawa spared. The deadline expired in the early hours of this morning, but there have not yet been any public announcements from the captors about the fate of the two men. A video is anticipated, however, one official said. Goto’s mother also made a plea for her son’s safety during a news conference today in Japan, saying he should be saved because he has a wife and a 2-week-old baby.

The situation is dire, but the government is determined to continue its utmost efforts toward an early release of the hostages. And Japan will continue to contribute to the international fight against terrorism.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga