“Other reports suggest IS has been paid to free the hostages.” Kidnapping infidels and releasing them for ransom or enslaving them, as well as killing them if that option is deemed most advantageous for the Muslims, is fully sanctioned in Islamic law: “As for the captives, the amir [ruler] has the choice of taking the […]
Islamic State demands $23 million for Christian hostages
They’re acting in full accord with Islamic law. Here is a salient passage on this issue from a Shafi’i manual of Islamic law: When an adult male is taken captive, the caliph considers the interests … (of Islam and the Muslims) and decides between the prisoner’s death, slavery, release without paying anything, or ransoming himself […]