John Cantlie: ISIS releases third video of British hostage

ISIS militants have released a third video featuring British hostage John Cantlie.

Journalist John Cantlie delivers a scripted message responding to President Barack Obama’s recent speech on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

The script mocks the US’s strategy of employing air power combined with local ground forces.

John Cantlie appears sat at a desk against a black backdrop, following the same format as in previous videos.

The message ends with a comment by him that Islamic State (ISIS) says it welcomes meeting with what is described as President Barack Obama’s under-construction army.

There are no signs of violence in the video but in the first of these messages John Cantlie made clear he was speaking as a prisoner whose life was in danger.

At the end of the five-and-a-half minute film he indicates there will be further messages.

The video comments on Barack Obama’s speech: “It was all disappointingly predictable; America is good, the Islamic State is bad; and they will be defeated using aircraft and a motley collection of fighters on the ground. For their part the Islamic State say they welcome meeting Obama’s under-construction army.”

John Cantlie, an experienced journalist and photographer, has twice been held captive in Syria.

He was kidnapped in July 2012, and handcuffed and blindfolded for a week, but escaped with the help from the Free Syrian Army.

A second kidnap happened when he returned to Syria towards the end of 2012.

Islamic State – also known as ISIL – has taken control of large areas of Syria and Iraq and declared a caliphate.

Since August, ISIS has filmed and posted online the deaths of three Western hostages who were beheaded.

They were American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and British aid worker David Haines.

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