LOC12:49
09:49 GMT
LONDON, Sept 21 (KUNA) -- The wife of British hostage Alan Henning has called on "the people of the so called "Islamic State" to see it in their hearts to release my husband", describing him as a "peaceful, selfless man".
Henning, a former taxi driver from Manchester, northern England, was kidnapped last December in Syria by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants.
The 47-year-old aid worker was shown at the end of a video last week after the beheading of fellow British captive David Haines.
Henning's wife Barbara said she has sent messages to ISL asking them to release her husband but has had no response.
In a statement released here Sunday through the UK Foreign Office she said: "Alan is a peaceful, selfless man who left his family and his job as a taxi driver in the UK to drive in a convoy all the way to Syria with his Muslim colleagues and friends to help those most in need.
"When he was taken he was driving an ambulance full of food and water to be handed out to anyone in need. His purpose for being there was no more and no less. This was an act of sheer compassion. I cannot see how it could assist any State's cause to allow the world to see a man like Alan dying."
It is the first time Henning's family has issued a public statement since he was threatened in the ISIL video earlier this month.
The extremist group has previously released footage showing the killing of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.
A separate video released this week showed British photojournalist John Cantlie sitting at a desk reading from a prepared script and explaining that he would speak about ISL in future videos.
There was no threat to kill Cantlie made on camera.
A series of pleas for the release of Henning have been made by high-profile Muslim leaders in recent days, warning ISI that the killings and threats are against Sharia law.
Turkey announced yesterday that 49 of its nationals who had been seized by ISIL in Iraq have been released and safely returned to their country.
The hostages were taken from the Turkish consulate in Mosul, Iraq on June 11, when the militants overran the city.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "The Turkish hostages' safe return home is welcome news for their family and friends and for Turkey.
"The UK condemns the practice of hostage-taking, which is a terrible threat to the nationals of all countries."
Asked how he felt the UK should respond to the threat from ISIL, opposition Labour leader Ed Miliband told the BBC TV this morning: "My judgment about this is that we have got to make sure we assemble an alliance right across the world - including in the region - to counter them.
"That means action in Iraq to include the Sunni minorities that have often felt excluded. It means mobilising the region.
"We supported the US action but it needs a political, diplomatic, humanitarian alliance as well to counter them."
Miliband said that Labour had "learned the lessons" from the 2003 Iraq War, and saw military action as a "last resort".
"We supported action in Libya, because we thought there was a clear case," said the Labour leader.
"There was international support, it had a basis in international law and it was clear what the objectives were.
"As someone who wants to be Prime Minister in eight months' time, (after the general elections next ay) I'm going to judge any proposal that comes forward on the basis of those criteria." (end)
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