ISIS released video Tuesday threatening to slaughter two Japanese hostages in the next 72 hours unless a $200 million ransom is paid.
Japan was reportedly unsuccessful in contacting ISIS over the hostage crisis.
An ISIS spokesman told Japanese broadcaster NHK that the group would release a statement “soon” about the hostages.
The deadline passed this morning.
Past deadline, fate of ISIS hostages unknown – http://t.co/hf5EHunfFH pic.twitter.com/QyvM11ICiI
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) January 23, 2015
FOX News reported that ISIS announced the hostages were dead.
A tweet from a Twitter account linked to ISIS said the hostages had been killed “because of Japan’s choices.” The tweet, on the same one that previously posted the countdown clock, warned that a new video was “being sent to production.”
Islamic State tweets report Japanese hostages have been executed.
Shame on religion.
#atheist #ISIS #KingAbdullah
. pic.twitter.com/M24BbR4KSu
— Godless Utopia (@GodlessUtopia) January 23, 2015
Here is the tweet from an ISIS affiliated account:
O people of Japan, you were given the chance to mend your actions but your leader wants to be a dog of rome so… pic.twitter.com/UVxwgoHaP2
— Abu مم (@jihadmusings) January 23, 2015
UPDATE: One hostage was killed. ISIS posted video Saturday.
