'If My Son Is in Jihadi John Beheading Video, He Should Be Executed,' Says Father

Nasser Methane appeared to be among 16 jihadists
who were filmed beheading Syrian soldiers

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The father of a medical student turned jihadist from Cardiff fears his son appears in the Islamic State's latest execution video and says "he must face up to what he has done".

The father of a British medical student turned jihadist has said his son should face execution himself if he is proved to be a killer appearing in an Islamic State execution video alongside 'Jihadi John'.

Ahmed Muthana, said he fears his son, Nasser Muthana, is one of a gang of camouflaged Isil fighters who line up to behead Syrian military captives in a horrific video released at the weekend.

Muthana, from Cardiff, is suspected of appearing standing alongside the masked militant known as Jihadi John in the video, which also announces the death of American hostage Peter Kassig.

His father said he had seen stills of the video and was unable to confirm the man was his 20-year-old son, but feared it was. He said his son should face a death sentence if proven to be a killer.

Mr Muthana, 57, said: "If that's what he has done to someone then that is what should be done to him. » | Ben Farmer, Defence Correspondent | Monday, November 17, 2014

Peter Kassig’s Parents Pay Emotional Tribute to Their Murdered Son

Peter Kassig's parents pay tribute to humanitarian
son beheaded by Islamic State

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Ed and Paula Kassig express their pride at Peter’s humanitarian work in Syria

The parents of Peter Kassig, the American aid worker who became the fifth hostage to be beheaded by the Islamic State, recalled the selfless work he performed in Syria.

Mr Kassig, who converted to Islam and changed his name from Peter to Abdul-Rahman, was captured in October last year while travelling in an ambulance to deliver medical supplies to stricken civilians in the east of the country.

The 26 year old former army ranger from Indianapolis, who served in Iraq in 2007, became an aid worker after leaving the army.

He devoted himself to providing support to a country where more than nine million civilians had been forced out of their homes during a savage civil war.

The plight of the Syrians was also recalled by Mr and Mrs Kassig in a statement they issued on Facebook paying tribute to their son. » | David Millward, US Correspondent | Sunday, November 16, 2014

Peter Kassig's Family Call for Restraint after Beheading Video

An undated photograph of Peter Kassig with his parents
Ed and Paula Kassig

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Parents of US army veteran ask for video of their son's apparent beheading not to be shared or distributed

The parents of the American hostage in Syria, Peter Kassig, have called for restraint in publishing the jihadist propaganda video released on Sunday which claims that he has been killed and beheaded.

The video, more graphic than those showing previous murders of hostages, shows 18 Syrian soldiers having their heads cut off by jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).

It concludes with the British-accented fighter known as Jihadist John standing over what appears to be the head of Mr Kassig.

"This is Peter Edward Kassig, a U.S. citizen, of your country," he says, pointing his knife at the camera as he did in previous films, and addressing himself to President Barack Obama. "To Obama, the dog of Rome, today we are slaughtering the soldiers of Bashar and tomorrow we will be slaughtering your soldiers."

The American and British governments both said they were examining the video and trying to authenticate it. Ed and Paula Kassig, who had made personal appeals to Isil to release their son, said in a statement they were aware of the news and awaiting confirmation. » | Richard Spencer in Gaziantep, Magdy Samaan, Andrew Marszal and Louisa Loveluck | Sunday, November 16, 2014

Senior Al-Qaeda Jihadist Speaks Out In Defence Of Peter Kassig

Peter Kassig had founded his own relief group, delivering
medical aid in conflict zones

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Abu Omar Aqidi, a prominent member of Jabhat al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda linked Syria group, recalls being treated by Peter Kassig for a shrapnel wound

A senior al-Qaeda jihadist has spoken out in defence of a Western hostage slated as the next to be beheaded by the rival extremists Isil in Syria.

Abdul-Rahman Kassig, the American Muslim convert and aid worker formerly known as Peter, has been named by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant as the next victim in their series of videoed murders of British and American captives.

Isil members warned on Twitter that Mr Kassig was to be killed on Wednesday, as a "deadline" passed for meeting their demands – that America call off its bombing campaign.

But the Isil threat to Mr Kassig has caused dissent from within the ranks of the jihadists' own community, with a number of Islamists speaking out in support of him, particularly because of his conversion.

Abu Omar Aqidi, a prominent member of al-Qaeda faction Jabhat al-Nusra, said in a public statement that he had been told Mr Kassig was the medic who treated him and other fellow jihadists. » | Ruth Sherlock in Istanbul and Richard Spencer | Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Isil Hostage Peter Kassig 'Is Now Devout Muslim Who Prays Five Times a Day', Says Ex-captive

Nicolas Henin, a former cellmate of Peter Kassig and John Cantlie, reveals intimate details of their lives as hostages of Islamic State

Read the Telegraph article here | Ruth Sherlock, Paris | Wednesday, October 08, 2014

Peter Kassig: Idealistic Aid Worker Who Converted to Islam in Captivity

Mr Kassig had founded his own relief group, delivering
medical aid in conflict zones

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Parents of former US Army Ranger, the latest Western hostage to be threatened with murder by Isil extremists, says "Our hearts ache for you to be granted your freedom"

Peter Kassig, the latest hostage to be threatened with murder by Islamist extremists, is an American veteran who served in Iraq and whose decision to convert to Islam in captivity has so far failed to save his life.

Mr Kassig, 26, is shown kneeling on the ground in an orange jumpsuit at the end of footage showing the murder of Alan Henning, a British aid worker.

A masked member of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil) says he will become the fifth Westerner to be killed if the US-led coalition does not halt its bombing campaign in Iraq and Syria.

Yet like Mr Henning, who was kidnapped delivering aid to Syrians, Mr Kassig's path to the Middle East suggests Isil's propaganda machine will have to to gloss over his humanitarian work in the region. And it will also have to contend with his desire to learn more about the Middle East and conversion to Islam. » | Rob Crilly, New York, and Josie Ensor | Saturday, October 04, 2014