The fate of two hostages held by ISIL, a Japanese journalist and a Jordanian air force pilot, remains uncertain 24 hours after threats to kill them imminently were revealed.<br /><br /> In exchange for the pilot’s freedom, the Jordanian government has agreed to release a convicted al Qaeda terrorist, on death row for her role in a suicide bomb attack ten years ago.<br /><br /> The government said it had had no response to its offer to swap prisoners.<br /><br /> The self-proclaimed Islamic State had demanded the release of Sajida al-Rishawi in exchange for the airman, Lieutenant Muath al-Kasasbeh, and the Japanese reporter Kenji Goto.<br /><br /> The pilot’s father had appealed to the King of Jordan to free the Iraqi woman, criticising his government’s efforts to secure his son’s release.<br /><br /> The government statement read out on Jordanian TV confirmed the priority was to safeguard the airman’s life, but made no mention of the Japanese hostage.<br /><br /> His fate was thought to be tied to that of Goto after a video was released on Tues
