2015-01-29 17:46:00

Japan, Jordan consider swap with Islamic State


(Vatican Radio) As an apparent Islamic State deadline for a swap of captives drew near, the Japanese and Jordanian governments said they were working to secure the release of a Japanese journalist and a Jordanian fighter pilot held hostage by extremists.

Listen to the report by correspondent Alistair Wanklyn: 

Japan's government spokesman said it was a joint effort to free the hostages he said there was firm trust between Tokyo and Amman.

But some analysts said Jordan appeared to have the larger role to play.

It was holding the woman the Islamic State hostage-takers appeared to want, a would-be suicide bomber, jailed after her explosives failed in an attack in Jordan a decade ago.

On Wednesday, after one deadline passed, the hostage-takers made a phone call expressing frustration that the woman had not been released, restating a threat to kill the Jordanian pilot captured in December. That was according to The Jordan Times newspaper.

It was unclear what channels negotiators had to speak to Islamic State representatives, but in Jordan, Japan's deputy foreign minister said one task was to make head or tail of the information emerging on the Internet.

In Tokyo, on Wednesday, supporters of the jailed journalist rallied outside the prime minister's office, but it seemed at that time both governments were already doing what they could to bring about his release, and that of the pilot.








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