The distraught mother of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, held captive by the militant group calling itself Islamic State (ISIL)along with another Japanese, has begged the militants to release her son. <br /><br /> ISIL had threatened to execute the reporter and his friend Haruna Yukawa unless they received 200 million US dollars (around 177 million euros) before a 0650 CET deadline on Friday (January 23).<br /><br /> As that ransom deadline passed, Japanese officials said the hostages’ lives were their top priority.<br /><br /> They have declined to say if they any ransom would be paid, but have said they will not bow to “terrorist threats”.<br /><br /> #KenjiGoto, one of the two hostages held by #ISIL, committed to covering plight of Syrian civilians. pic.twitter.com/bXFbc10pbW (via shephardm)— Keith Walker (KeithWalkerNews) January 23, 2015
