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"Jordan is ready to release prisoner Sajida al-Rishawi if the
Jordanian pilot Lieutenant Muath al-Kasaesbeh was released and
his life spared," Mohammad al-Momani, a government spokesman,
was quoted on state television as saying.
He did not make any reference to Japanese hostage Kenji Goto who
said in a video on Tuesday that Islamic State had given Jordan
24 hours to release the Iraqi militant or the pilot would be
killed.
Momani said Jordan's priority was to secure the release of the
pilot, who hails from a Jordanian tribe that forms the backbone
of support for the Hashemite monarchy.
Several hundred people, including relatives of the pilot,
gathered in front of the office of Jordan's prime minister late
on Tuesday urging authorities to meet the demands of Islamic
State and release al–Rishawi.
Kasaesbeh was captured after his jet crashed in northeastern
Syria in December during a bombing mission against the
militants.
(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
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