Islamic State declares captured aid worker to be 'innocent'

Alan Henning, the aid worker who was kidnapped by the Islamic State, has been deemed “innocent” by an IS Sharia court, according to statement by his wife, who also received an audio recording of Alan “pleading for his life.”

Barbara Henning announced that, in spite of IS deeming 47-year old taxi driver Alan to be “no threat” they nevertheless continued to “ignore out pleas to open dialogue.”

“I have seen Muslims across the globe question Islamic State over Alan’s fate,” said her statement.

“The voices of the people have spoken out loud and clear.”

Earlier this month IS released a video showing the beheading of British captive David Haines – at the end of the video they also paraded Alan, threatening to kill him.

Muslims around the world have called for Alan’s release.

A friend of Alan, who was with him on the aid convoy in Syria where he was kidnapped (apparently for being non-Muslims) appealed directly to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a video last week, visibly upset.

"On all occasions, we - your Muslim brothers - brought him with us under our care and protection," he said.

"Alan was so moved by the suffering of the Syrian people, in particular the children, that he devoted all his free time in raising money and awareness about their suffering..

"He washed cars to raise money, he collected aid, he talked to everybody he met about crimes committed against the Muslims in Syria."

More than 100 Muslim leaders in the UK signed a statement pleading for his release, published in the Independent:

"We, the undersigned British Muslim Imams, organisations and individuals, wish to express our horror and revulsion at the senseless murder of David Haines and the threat to the life of our fellow British citizen, Alan Henning."

Even the Al-Nusra Front, the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, pleaded directly to IS for his release saying his capture was “wrong under Islamic law.”

At the end of her statement, Barbara Henning pleaded with IS to abide by their own ruling:

“I implore Islamic State to abide by the decisions of their own justice system.”

“Please release Alan.”