Jordan vows ‘earthshaking’ response to IS video showing pilot’s death

Islamic State militants released a video on Tuesday appearing to show a captured Jordanian pilot being burnt alive, and Jordan promised to avenge his death. The highly produced 22-minute video released online showed images of a man purported to be First Lieutenant Mouath al-Kasaesbeh, who was captured in December, engulfed in flames inside a metal cage. The authenticity has yet to be confirmed. Al-Kasaesbeh was taken captive by the Islamic State group when his fighter jet crashed in Syria last December. A staunch U.S. ally, Jordan is part of the military alliance against IS, and the video appeared to be aimed at pressuring Jordan to leave the coalition that has been battling to roll back the extremist group’s territorial gains.

This is the first individual whom they have captured who has been directly involved with the Western coalition in fighting IS. It is different from the aid workers. … Every time you think they cannot commit anything worse, they open up another trapdoor.

Shiraz Maher, from the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King’s College London

Jordan said it will execute Sajida al-Rishawi, an Iraqi would-be suicide bomber on death row, and other jihadists to avenge al-Kasaesbeh. IS wanted to exchange al-Kasaesbeh for Rishawi. She’d been held by Jordanian authorities since late 2005 after being arrested and later sentenced to death for her failed part in a triple bomb attack on the Radisson SAS hotel in Amman, the Jordanian capital.

The revenge will be as big as the calamity that has hit Jordan … strong, earthshaking and decisive.

Jordanian government’s response to the IS video

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