ISIS has asked Japan to pay $200 million in exchange for the life of 2 Japanese hostages in their custody.
This demand comes fews days after Japan pledeged $200 to international efforts to fight the terror sect.
In the latest video which surfaced on social media Tuesday, a masked man gives the Japanese government a choice to pay $200 million within 72 hours. which would seem to mean sometime Friday.
The two hostages have been identified as Kenji Goto Jogo and Haruna Yukawa.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is currently visiting the Middle East, while reacting to the threat, stood by a pledge, made in a speech Sunday in Cairo, for funding to help build “human capacities, infrastructure and so on” for those affected by ISIS’ armed campaign.
“The pledge aid is very important to the refugees in need and has nothing to do with the Islamic communities or the radical militants,” the Prime Minister said. “… We will contribute to the (region’s) peace and stability, in cooperation with the global community.”
As to the ISIS threat against two of his nation’s citizens, Abe called it “unacceptable.”
“I feel angry about it,” he said. “I strongly urge them to immediately release the hostages without harming them.”