- Title: MIDEAST-CRISIS/JORDAN PILOT RALLY Jordanians demand pilot's release
- Date: 28th January 2015
- Summary: AMMAN, JORDAN (JANUARY 28, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** JORDANIANS AND CAPTURED PILOT MUATH AL KASASBEH'S FATHER SAFI KASAESBEH OUTSIDE THE ROYAL PALACE SAFI KASAESBEH WALKING AND HOLDING A PIECE OF PAPER SAFI KASAESBEH SAYING IN ARABIC : "A statement issued by the Islamic State," (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAFI KASAESBEH SAYING: "Islamic State is t
- Embargoed: 12th February 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Jordan
- Country: Jordan
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA7S0R7RJ6XWW1C7HXB5K9CV9FA
- Story Text: A small group demonstrators gathered outside the Royal Palace in Jordan on Wednesday (January 28) calling for Jordan to ensure the release of captured pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh.
Jordan says it is prepared to swap Sajida al-Rishawi, an Iraqi woman on death row for her role in a 2005 suicide bomb attack, for the pilot
held by Islamic State insurgents.
Government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani said Jordan was ready to release al-Rishawi if Kasaesbeh was spared, but made clear that she was still being held until the pilot was freed.
Kasasbeh's father Saif called on the Jordanian people to exert pressure on the royal family over the negotiations.
A visibly angry Saif added: "Otherwise your king is the one who killed him or otherwise your king is the one who killed him in his stubbornness and you have to know that Muath will not be the last solider or a Jordanian citizen who will be sacrificed."
Muath al-Kasasbeh's wife was at the demonstration and became distressed, receiving comfort from relatives.
One of the demonstrators said: "We only have one demand which the return of our son the pilot Muath al Kasasbeh in exchange of any price. We do not demand anything and our stance is peaceful."
Kasaesbeh was captured after his jet crashed in northeastern Syria in December during a bombing mission against Islamic State, which has captured large tracts of Syria and Iraq.
Jordan is one of several Arab countries taking part in a U.S.-led coalition to strike the hardline group which announced an Islamic caliphate in large parts of Syria and Iraqi where it has imposed its radical interpretation of Islam. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None