MOSCOW, October 13 (RIA Novosti) – Islamic State (IS) militants have released their fourth video of British journalist John Cantlie, who is being held hostage by the group. Cantlie has criticized British and US foreign policy, following his alleged article in an IS magazine, entitled 'The real story behind my videos’.
In a seven-minute video that emerged on Sunday, Cantlie says “the Western public is being rushed into a war it cannot win, against thousands of armed militants.”
Dressed up in an orange jumpsuit similar to those worn by prisoners in in Guantánamo Bay, this time Cantlie warns “anyone hoping for a nice neat surgical operation without getting their hands dirty is in for a horrible surprise once it gets under way”.
He comments on the release of videos of his fellow captives, journalist Steven Sotloff and aid worker Alan Henning, being killed, calling it a “win win” for IS.
“If these executions force public outcry or a policy change, that is a huge victory. And if they only goad our governments into dropping more bombs and spending millions more dollars, making our countries weaker in the process, that is a victory too,” he said.
“The Islamic State will survive and even thrive in the face of setback,” Cantlie added “War only makes the jihadist movement stronger. And they are dug in for the fight. They have years of experience fighting against the Americans and know how to patiently and vainly outlast long-term war projects.”
Addressing Prime Minister David Cameron, he accused him of not entering negotiations with the IS to save the lives of British citizens.
“You have known about our situation for nearly two years. You chose not to enter negotiations with the Islamic State that might have got us out,” he said. “And now you want to use these deaths to fan the flames of this war”.
The video follows an article allegedly written by Cantlie and published in Issue 4 of the IS English-language magazine ‘Dabiq’ – “The real story behind my videos”, where he also blamed the US and UK for not negotiating possibilities for the release of previous IS victims.
“Four of my cellmates have already been executed by the Islamic State in the most visceral way possible after the British and American governments apparently made a joint decision not to discuss terms for our release with our captors,” the piece says.
“And now, unless something changes very quickly and very radically, I await my turn” it adds. “I've had to watch as James (Foley), Steven Sotloff, David Haines and Alan Henning walked out of the door, one every two weeks since August 18, never to return, knowing they were going to be killed and going to their deaths.”
In videos Cantlie released earlier, he explained that that he was captured by IS in Syria in November 2012 and has since been shot during an escape attempt.
The publications which Cantlie has worked and freelanced for include The Sunday Times, The Sun and The Sunday Telegraph.
