ISIS beheader 'Jihadi John' demands £130m for life of Japanese hostages in new video

The British-accented militant known as 'Jihadi John' criticised the Japanese government for funding countries in fighting the militant group.

18:01 20 January 2015

Isis has released a new video purporting to show a militant asking for £130m for the life of two Japanese hostages. Appearing in the video is the same British-accent militant known as “Jihadi John” – the same man who executed journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

The hostages were identified as journalist Kenji Goto Jogo and military company operator Haruna Yukawa.

“Jihadi John” criticised the Japanese government for helping other countries in fighting Isis and said that the ransom should be paid within 72 hours.

The Japanese foreign ministry said that the threat, should it be proven real, is “unforgiveable.”

‘If true, the act of threat in exchange of people’s lives is unforgiveable and we feel strong indignation,’ Japan’s top spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, told journalists.

He added: ‘We will make our utmost effort to win their release as soon as possible.’

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is reportedly cancelling part of his six-day tour to the Middle East to deal with the crisis, recently pledged $2.5billion in non-military aid to Egypt and $200million in non-military aid to countries fighting Isis (which is the figure that the two men are being ransomed for).