Jordanian foreign minister: No proof from ISIS that pilot is alive
One day after the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) appears to have beheaded Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, Jordan is still open to a prisoner swap in order to secure the release of one of their pilots captured by the militant group.
ISIS has purportedly threatened to kill the pilot, Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh, by Thursday unless the Jordanians release a failed female al Qaeda suicide bomber named Sajida al-Rishawi, from death row. In a phone interview on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said his government has still not received any proof that al-Kaseasbeh is still alive.
"We have said publicly that if we do get proof of life - and this is before the tragic, cold-blooded murder of the Japanese journalist Kenji - we have said that if there is proof of life and if our pilot is released, we are willing to release this woman," he said. "But like I said, so far, we have seen no proof of life, which we have been asking for."
Judeh said King Abdullah of Jordan has been working "24-7" since al-Kaseasbeh was captured to find out if he is still alive and to try to secure his release. They have publicly asked for proof of life, but have received none.
King Abdullah has a prescheduled visit to Washington coming up that Judeh said was "part of the ongoing contacts that his majesty likes to maintain with our friends in Washington, both in the administration and in Congress."
"We have said before, and we continue to say, that this is our fight and we are in this together for the long haul and we are as committed as ever," he said.