Aid worker killed on camera
British PM pledges to catch murderers of man who had been jihadists’ hostage.
humanitarian personnel face every day in Syria”.
British Muslims condemned the murder of Henning, labelling it a “despicable and offensive act” that showed the Islamic State jihadists who killed him had “no regard for Islam”.
Imams and other influential figures had joined forces to appeal to the terrorists to release the aid worker.
Shuja Shafi, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: “It is quite clear that the murderers of Alan Henning have no regard for Islam, or for the Muslims around the world who pleaded for his life. Alan was a friend of Muslims, and he will be mourned by Muslims.”
The Isis video opens with a news report about the British Parliament vote last week to authorise air strikes against jihadist targets in Iraq.
It then shows Henning on his knees wearing an orange prisonstyle outfit against a desert backdrop and a masked militant wielding a combat knife.
Henning, a 47-year-old volunteer who went to Syria with a Muslim charity, explains to the camera that he is being made to pay for the British parliamentary vote.
The jihadist, who has the same British accent as the killer in previous IS execution videos, then addresses the British Prime Minister.
Alan Henning was a friend to Muslims and will be mourned by followers of Islam, say British imams.
“The blood of [British victim] David Haines was on your hands, Cameron. Alan Henning will also be slaughtered, but his blood is on the hands of the British Parliament,” he says, then cuts the hostage’s throat.
Kassig, a former US army soldier and Iraq veteran in his 20s who returned to the Middle East to set up an aid agency, is then shown alive and is threatened by the knifewielding militant.
“Obama, you have started your aerial bombardment in Sham [the Arabic term for Syria] which keeps on striking our people,” the militant says. “So it is only right that we continue to strike the necks of your people.” Meanwhile, Isis fighters besieged the Syrian town of Kobane on the Turkish border, where Kurdish militiamen are mounting a desperate defence. Australia is joining combat sorties in support of Kurdish forces and the Iraqi army, while Canada’s Parliament is deliberating.