Father of Jordanian pilot burned to death by ISIS calls on US-led coalition to avenge son's death

Speaking to Al-Arabiya television, Safi Yousef said that ISIS’ “terrorist actions are far from the meaning of Islam.”

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Jordanian pilot's last moments in ISIS captivity
The father of Muath al-Kasaesbeh, the Jordanian pilot who was burned to death while in Islamic State captivity, called on all countries fighting the jihadist organization to avenge his son’s death.
Speaking to Al-Arabiya television, Safi al-Kasaesbeh said that ISIS’ “terrorist actions are far from the meaning of Islam.”
“I call on all Jordanians to be patient following the death of my son,” al-Kasaesbeh said.
Jordan hanged two Iraqis on Wednesday, including a female militant, hours after Islamic State released a video appearing to show the captured Jordanian pilot being burnt alive, a security source and state television said.
Kasaesbeh's father said the two executions were not enough and urged the government to do more to avenge his death. "I want the state to get revenge for my son's blood through more executions of those people who follow this criminal group that shares nothing with Islam," Safi al-Kasaesbeh said.
"Jordanians are demanding that the state and coalition take revenge with even more painful blows to destroy these criminals," he said, speaking to Reuters by telephone.
Islamic State militants had demanded the release of the executed woman, Sajida al-Rishawi, in exchange for a Japanese hostage who was later killed.
Jordan has promised an "earth-shaking response" to the killing of its pilot.
Jordan's King Abdullah cut short a visit to Washington after the news of the pilot's death. He also appeared on television describing killing of Kasaesbeh as an act of “cowardly” terror by a group that had nothing to do with Islam.
“This (is) cowardly terror by a criminal group that has no relation to Islam ... It's the duty of all citizens to stand together,” he said in a short televised appearance.
Reuters contributed to this report.