This is precisely in accord with Islamic law. “As for the captives, the amir [ruler] has the choice of taking the most beneficial action of four possibilities: the first to put them to death by cutting their necks; the second, to enslave them and apply the laws of slavery regarding their sale and manumission; the third, to ransom them in exchange for goods or prisoners; and fourth, to show favor to them and pardon them. Allah, may he be exalted, says, ‘When you encounter those [infidels] who deny the Truth [Islam] then strike [their] necks’ (Qur’an sura 47, verse 4)” — Al-Mawardi, al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah (The Laws of Islamic Governance).
“ISIS threatens to kill 2 Japanese hostages unless Tokyo pays $200 million,” by Jethro Mullen and Greg Botelho, CNN, January 20, 2015 (thanks to Pamela Geller):
(CNN)Two Japanese hostages, one demand from ISIS: Hand over $200 million, or else.
The else being that the pair will meet the same gruesome fate as other captives held by the terrorist group, others who were shown in ISIS videos kneeling in orange jumpsuits in front of masked, black-clad men — just like the Japanese hostages identified as Kenji Goto Jogo and Haruna Yukawa — shortly before being beheaded.
In the latest video, a masked man gives the Japanese government a choice to pay $200 million — the same amount of money Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently pledged for those “contending” with ISIS — to free the Japanese men. That deal holds for 72 hours, which would seem to mean sometime Friday, since the video appeared on social media Tuesday.
Another move that theoretically could change things would be if Japan’s government halts its alliance with those fighting ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State. Tokyo hasn’t participated in airstrikes aimed at the Islamist extremist group, though its leaders have supported those who have, as well as the Iraqi government.
“Although you are more than 8,500 kilometers away from the Islamic State, you willingly volunteered to take part in this crusade,” the masked man on the video posted Tuesday says, addressing his comments to Abe.
But Abe, who is currently visiting the Middle East, didn’t seem about to bargain Tuesday.
He 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.”…
Abe sounds Lincolnesque. It is magnificent to see someone not cowering before these savages — especially after so many Western governments have essentially financed the jihad by means of ransom payments.