Alan Henning is shown in a purported IS video as the next execution victim
Image: Daily Mirror.

It looks like the Islamic State is intent on making its point with the so called world super powers. In recent media reports, the wife of the man most likely to be the subject of another video-recorded execution, Alan Henning appealed to the members of the Islamic State to ‘find it in their hearts’ to spare her husband.

Speaking through the British Foreign office, Mrs Barbara Henning made an impassioned appeal to her husband’s captors, saying that she did not see how the video recording of the killing of her husband could help the cause of any state. In her statement, she described Alan as a selfless man who had left his job as a taxi driver as well as his family to drive in a convoy to Syria with friends to help those in need. Mrs Henning added that when he was abducted in December, he was actually driving an ambulance full of food and water to distribute to those needing it.

In a video that was apparently shot in Turkey as he was on the way to Syria, Alan Henning said “no sacrifice we do is anything compared to what they’re going through every day”. Barbara Henning indicated that she had sent countless messages to his captors imploring them to release him but had received no response. In another show of support for Alan Henning, two high ranking Imams have released a video on YouTube calling for his immediate release. Describing him as a man of peace, they made it clear that Alan Henning could not be executed as this would be totally haram or forbidden according to the sharia law.

If he is executed, Alan Henning would be the second Briton and the fourth hostage to be executed by the Islamic State. The latest victim was British Aid worker David Haines whose execution was also shown on video and sparked outrage from British Imams and organisations who expressed horror and outrage at the senseless murder of Haines and the threat to the life of Mr Henning. He was shown in an alleged Islamic State video as the next person to be executed in their bid to stop the world super powers, especially America, from fighting their cause. However, all this communication has elicited no response whatsoever from members of the Islamic State.