The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has just published in its latest English-language magazine Dabiq what it claims is an "interview" with the Jordanian pilot captured in Syria.
Militants say they downed an F-16 jet manned by Moaz al-Kassasbeh as he took part in U.S.-led coalition air strikes near ISIS's de-facto capital, Raqqah, last week. Images provided by the extremist organization's media wing and circulated widely on social media showed bearded men with Kalashnikovs pulling the terrified airman out of a nearby river.
"We entered the region of Raqqah to sweep the area, then the striker jets entered to begin their attack," al-Kassasbeh said, according to the online publication. "My plane was struck by a heat-seeking missile. I heard and felt its hit."
The Jordanian government and U.S. Central Command described the incident as an aircraft crash and adamantly stated that it was not shot down by ISIS.
"I checked the system display and it indicated that the engine was damaged and burning," the pilot is quoted as saying. "The plane began to deviate from its normal flight path, so I ejected. I landed in the Furat River by parachute and the seat caught on some ground, keeping me fixed, until I was captured by soldiers of the Islamic State."
A still image of al-Kassasbeh wearing the orange jumpsuit tops the short article titled: "The Capture of the Crusader Pilot." Journalist James Foley, American NGO founder Peter Kassig, and British aid worker Alan Henning among other hostages wore similar outfits in videos purporting to show their murders at the hands of the extremists.
The magazine also contains an article claimed to have been authored by British hostage John Cantlie, headlined "Meltdown." The article suggests the world is facing economic collapse and says "it makes enormous sense for the Islamic State to mint their own gold dinars." Cantlie was a photojournalist and freelance writer for major British newspapers, before he was kidnapped in November 2012 along with American journalist James Foley, who was also killed by ISIS militants.
The family of the captured Jordanian pilot have made several emotional pleas for his release and called on the Jordanian government to launch an investigation into the crash.
"Be supportive of our brother Moaz and to be merciful on him, please send him back to us," Jawad al-Kassasbeh told CNN Arabic last Friday. "He is just a soldier who is following orders and has no authority."
Jordan, is one of several nations participating in an American-led mission against ISIS, an organization which is seeking to establish a Caliphate, or Islamic State, and has wrested territory spanning from central Syria to about 100km (62 miles) north of Baghdad.
The United Nations says the group's acts of brutality, including the enslavement of women, mass killing, and the torture and imprisonment of its enemies, amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
