HORRIFIC MURDER: IS burns Jordanian hostage Muath al-Kaseasbeh alive in metal cage

ISLAMIC STATE has released a video showing Jordanian hostage Muath al-Kaseasbeh being but alive inside a metal cage, following a week-long drama over a possible prisoner exchange.

State media reported the Jordanian govement confirmed the horrific video"s authenticity and will execute about six jailed militants as "punishment”. Jordan"s army has also pledged to exact "revenge at the level of disaster” for "martyr” al-Kaseasbeh.

The execution of the high-profile hostage, who was captured in December, happened on January 3.

The highly-produced, 22-minute video shows al-Kaseasbeh sitting at a table discussing coalition operations against IS, with flags from the various Weste and Arab countries in the alliance projected in the background.

It then shows al-Kaseasbeh dressed in an orange jumpsuit and surrounded by armed and masked IS fighters in camouflage. It cuts to the 26-year-old standing inside the cage and apparently doused in petrol before he is immolated.

 

Brutal: The footage, which is titled 'Healing the Believers Chests' appears to show the captured airman wearing an orange jumpsuit as a trail of petrol leading up to the cage is seen being set alight

Horror: The video, which is ISIS' most sickening yet, begins by showing Kasasbeh being paraded in front of heavily armed men wearing combat fatigues and yellow masks

In response to the video, Jordan has reportedly declared they will execute al-Qaeda prisoner, Sajida Rishawi, "within hours” and at least another five al-Qaeda operatives.

A Jordanian army spokesman said the country would get "revenge” for al-Kaseasbeh.

"The military forces announce that the hero pilot, Muath al-Kaseasbeh, has fallen as a martyr, and ask God to accept him with the martyrs,” armed forced spokesman Mamdouh al-Ameri said on Jordanian television.

"While the military forces mou the martyr, they emphasise his blood will not be shed in vain. Our punishment and revenge will be as huge as the loss of the Jordanians.”

King Abdullah of Jordan has also cut short his trip to the US and will retu home.

He and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh were meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry around the time the news broke.

US President Barack Obama said the video is more evidence of the "viciousness and barbarity” of IS, indicating that "whatever ideology they are operating out of is bankrupt.”

He added that it would "redouble the vigilance and determination on the part of our global coalition to make sure they are degraded and ultimately defeated.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted his condolences: "Lieutenant Moaz al-Kasasbeh"s sickening murder will only strengthen our resolve to defeat ISIL. My prayers are with his family tonight.”

General Lloyd Austin, head of Central Command who is leading the war against IS, said he spoke with the chief of staff of Jordan"s armed forces and "assured him that we stand with our Jordanian partners and together we will fight this barbaric enemy until it is defeated.”

Jordan"s head of armed forces informed the pilot"s family of the horrific news, Express reports.

At a tribal meeting place where the pilot"s relatives have waited for weeks for word on his fate, chants against Jordan"s King Abdullah II erupted and some family members wept.

An uncle shouted in Arabic: "I received a phone call from the chief of staff saying God bless his soul.”

The pilot"s father, Safi, was surrounded by family members.

Local media reported devastated family members fell to the floor, gripped by grief, after being notified.

There are also reports of rioting in the pilot"s home town of Karak in Jordan. Protestors are reportedly blocking roads, buing tyres and demanding justice for the slain pilot.

Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh was captured by IS militants on December 26 when his Jordanian F-16 crashed near Raqqa, Syria, the de facto capital of the group"s self-styled caliphate. He was the first pilot from the US-led coalition to be captured.

Following militant demands, Jordan"s govement said it was willing to trade Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi, an al-Qaeda prisoner, for the pilot.

Al-Rishawi faces death in Jordan for her role in a 2005 hotel attack that killed 60 people. She was still wearing her bomb-belt when she was arrested.

However the Jordanian govement said they had not received proof from IS that Mr al-Kasasbeh was still alive.

Al-Kasaesbeh had been held hostage with Japanese joualist Kenji Goto, who was purportedly beheaded in a video released by the terrorists on Saturday.

The video of al-Kasaesbeh"s execution appeared aimed at testing Jordan"s continuing participation in the US-led coalition attacking the IS group.

Jordan"s king, a close Weste ally, has portrayed the campaign against the extremists as a battle over values, but the airstrikes against fellow Muslims are not popular in Jordan.