F

eb. 1, online

Japan condemned with outrage and horror on Sunday an online video that purported to show an Islamic State (IS) organization militant beheading Japanese journalist Kenji Goto.

The video posted on militant websites late Saturday Middle East time ended days of negotiations to save the man and heightened fears for the life of a Jordanian fighter pilot also held hostage.

'€œI feel indignation over this immoral and heinous act of terrorism,'€ Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters after convening an emergency Cabinet meeting.

'€œWhen I think of the grief of his family, I am left speechless,'€ he said. '€œThe government has been doing its utmost in responding to win his release, and we are filled with deep regret.'€

Your comments:

My Japanese best friend told me that the majority of Japanese did not feel sad nor felt compelled to pressure the government to pay the US$200 million ransom as many said that if anyone went to an IS controlled area then they knew the risks.

But then again, I don'€™t think killing an innocent human being is forgivable in any circumstance.

Aaron Beng

The execution makes me wonder why journalists and others just don'€™t stay away from the area.

Rojak Guy

I agree, no life is worth US$200 million. Actually, a life is worth much more than that.

Sukajadi

This savagery has to stop immediately. There is no justification for arbitrary killings for whatever reasons, religious or otherwise.

According to a recent UN'€™ report, around 1,500 innocent people died in Iraq alone, where conflicts and invasion were all based and triggered by lies invented by George W. Bush.

It'€™s time to start bringing these killers to international court to account for these atrocities.

Martina Hingis

Sad to say, that will be the fate of us all. Australia in per capita terms has more self-motivated jihadists in IS-land than most other countries.

At least 20 have been confirmed dead though, so there'€™s a good chance that there will be a lot more as the foreign fighters are just being used as cannon fodder by the IS.

Jon Cassar

Kidnapping has a long and proud tradition. There is even kidnapping for marriage. If a guy fancies you he will hatch out a scheme to kidnap you. Like it or not, you are his wife.

My heart goes out to the families of these victims.

Abu Abu

Each action by IS such as this beheading just serves to enhance its reputation with Muslims who are attracted to the jihadist ideology. IS is the penultimate Islamist state occupying vast territory while waging war against what it calls apostates and kaffars.  

While the message is impossible to eradicate, the elimination of IS from the territory it occupies will weaken it. However, the will and capacity to do this is constrained. This means it will be a long term war of attrition with IS failing largely because of poor governance.

Jagera

The Japanese did nothing illegal and their intentions were not greedy nor would their actions hurt anyone else.

Kuningan

Journalist Kenji Goto went to Syria to find the truth about Yukawa. Both have now been executed by these hard-liners.

This reminds us of another tragedy: the summary execution of captive journalist Roger East by the invading Indonesian troops in then East Timor (now Timor Leste).

East was in Dili to find out about the fate of the Balibo five, who Indonesian Military had earlier executed.

Justice should be sought against these murderers of journalists in Syria and in East Timor.

Jan Karl