Jordan government seeks radical measures to secure pilot's release

A source in the salafist-jihadist movement in Jordan has revealed to al-Araby al-Jadeed that Jordanian security services are seeking the help of imprisoned extremist leaders to secure the safe release of Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasba.

Authorities will ask prisoners to contact the Islamic State group (IS, formerly known as ISIS) and find out the demands of the group.

Extremist support

Kasasba has been held by the group since Wednesday, 24 December, after his fighter jet crashed in the Raqqa region of Syria. The air force first lieutenant had been taking part in air sortie against IS positions as part of the international coalition campaign against the extremist group.

Most likely to be asked to help is salafist ideologue Assem Barqawi, better known as Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi.

The extremist figure was re-arrested in October in Jordan, after he issued a fatwa criticising the international coalition for air strikes against the Islamic State group.

The source said, "Maqdisi is doctrinally at odds with the IS group and its caliphate, but he has good ties and contacts with active leaders in the organisation. The salafist channels could be put to use to ensure the safety of the pilot and negotiate the Islamic State group’s demands."

In addition to Maqdisi, the source said that Jordanian authorities could also speak with jailed salafist leader Abdul-Qadir Shehadeh, aka Abu Muhammad al-Tahawi, who is known to be an IS group supporter.

Tahawi is believed to have good ties leading figures in the armed group, which might prove useful in negotiations.

Bargaining chips

As early as Thursday, 25 December, the Jordanian government circulated news about a prospective deal, without disclosing the price Amman would pay to secure the pilot's release.

As early as Thursday, the Jordanian government circulated news about a prospective deal.

During a visit to the diwan tribal office of "the Sons of Karak", the city where the captured pilot hails from, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour revealed that "international negotiations" had started in order to rescue the downed pilot.

Speaking during a Friday sermon, Hayel Dawood, minister of awqaf and Islamic affairs, justified the potential bargaining with the extremist group for Kasasba, saying "The Prophet Muhammad had accepted ransoms and swaps many times in return for the release of prisoners of war."

A few hours after IS had captured the Jordanian pilot, appeals were made in the country for the pilot to be exchanged for IS-affiliated prisoners who have been sentenced to death in Jordan.

These include Sajida al-Rishawi, who attempted to detonate an explosive belt during the 2005 suicide bombings in Amman, and Ziad al-Karbouli, a former aide of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the deceased leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

"Any means necessary"

Leading Jordanian salafist leader, Mohammad al-Shalabi, aka Abu Sayyaf, was quoted as saying, "We have heard that the IS group intends to swap the pilot for the prisoner Sajida Rishawi and prisoner Ziad al-Karbouli."

Rishawi was sentenced to death for her involvement in the Amman hotel bombings in 2005, for which al-Qaeda in Iraq, the forerunner of the IS group, had claimed responsibility. Karbouli was also sentenced to death for his involvement in the murder of a Jordanian lorry driver who was held hostage by the armed group in Iraq.

The captured pilot has received widespread support for his release among Jordanians, even by those opposed the kingdom’s participation in the anti-IS international coalition.

Campaigns have been launched for the captive airman on social media through trending Arabic hashtags such as "We Are All Moaz".

It appears from social media that a majority are in favour of exchanging the pilot for Rishawi and Karbouli, or even to pay a ransom to secure Kasasba's release.

Meanwhile, other Jordanians are holding the government responsible for the safety of Kasaba by using the hashtag "This Is Not Our War".

This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.