Japanese hostage Kenji Goto murdered by IS

Kenji Goto, the 47-year-old veteran war correspondent who had been held hostage by the Sunni Islamist militant group Islamic State, (IS) was murdered. On Sunday, the IS posted its video that purported to show the militant group beheaded the Japanese journalist. The shocking news comes only eight days after the militant group announced its murder of another Japanese hostage, Haruna Yukawa (aged 42).

The one-minute video footage with IS logo on the top left begins with “A Message To the Government of Japan” written in English and Arabic. Then, a man with a mask and a knife appears and stands right next to Goto who is kneeling down in orange-colored prisoner’s uniform. As if sending the message to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, he warned that “To the Japanese government, you, like your foolish allies in the satanic coalition, have yet to understand that we, by Allah’s grace, are an Islamic caliphate with authority and power, an entire army thirsty for your blood.”

Not only Japan but the entire world vented their rage on IS’s hostage-taking that ended in tragedy. Prime Minister Abe said, “They can never be forgiven. We will foster a global solidarity to make them pay the price. Japan will never surrender to terrorist groups.” U.S. President Barack Obama also made a strong statement, saying, “Standing together with a broad coalition of allies and partners, the United States will continue taking decisive action to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL."