LONDON (AP) — The family of a British aid worker believed held by Islamic militants in Syria has issued a public plea urging his captors to contact them.
Extremists from the Islamic State group have threatened to kill 44-year-old David Haines, and his family said they have not received any reply from the group after repeated messages.
In a short statement released through Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office late Friday, the family said: “We are asking those holding David to make contact with us.”
Islamic State militants have beheaded two American journalists and posted video evidence online. At the end of the last video, they threatened to kill Haines next and briefly showed him on camera.
Haines was abducted in Syria in 2013 while working for an international aid agency.
The British government had managed to keep his kidnapping secret out of concern for his safety until the most recent video Islamic State video identified him as a captive.
The Foreign Office said in a statement that the extremists had put Haines’ name in the public domain. The statement said the hostage’s family would not make further comments.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
