Barbara Henning: ISIS Hostage Alan Henning’s Wife

The wife of Briton Alan Henning who is threatened with execution next by militants from Islamic State in Iraq and Al-Sham; addressed the media in an attempt to reach her husband’s captors and plead them to spare his life.

Barbara Henning is the distraught wife of Alan Henning, she had made previous statements calling for her husband’s release, this is the first time she has been filmed appealing to his captors. The emotional televised appeal by Barbara Henning was arranged by the Foreign Office on Tuesday, she read a statement saying:

‘I have a further message for Islamic State: We’ve not abandoned Alan and we continue in our attempts to communicate with you.

‘We have had no contact from Islamic State holding him other than an audio file of him pleading for his life.

‘Muslims across the globe continue to question Islamic State over Alan’s fate. Their position regarding his statement is unequivocal. He is innocent.

‘Some say wrong time, wrong place. Alan was volunteering with his Muslim friends to help the people of Syria. He was in the right place during the right time.

‘We are at a loss why those leading Islamic State cannot open their hearts and minds to the truth about Alan’s humanitarian motives for going to Syria and why they continue to ignore the verdicts of their own justice system.

‘Surely those who wish to be known as a state will act in a statesmanlike way by showing mercy and providing clemency.

‘Alan, we miss you and we’re dreadfully concerned for your safety. But we are given so much hope by the outcry across the world as to your imprisonment. We ask Islamic State: Please release him. We want him back home.

‘Thank you.’

Her husband is a Manchester taxi driver who drove a van full of aid to Syria to help children in the war-torn country. We cant begin to imagine what Barbara and her family is going through, despite her heartache, her message was direct, she kept strong though her face said it all.

Alan Henning had taken time off from his job to deliver clothes and bedding that he and friends had collected, when he was abducted on Boxing Day last year.

The 47-year-old father of two was part of a small aid group called Aid 4 Syria, friends told The Daily Telegraph. He was on his fourth convoy to the country when he was seized by masked men near the Turkish border.

Her 47-year-old husband thought his work for Muslim charity would save him but when he appeared on a video made by the group that also depicted the murder of the Scottish aid worker David Haines, he was clearly wrong.

Alan is seen in the closing seconds of a horrific two-and-a-half minute video showing the beheading of David Haines, also an aid worker.

Friends of Mr. Henning, from Eccles, described him as a “lovely guy” who had been moved to act by the plight of children caught in the war.

Barbara, had been told by a Syrian activist who allegedly spent a night in the same cell, and Mr. Henning had seemed in good spirits, believing he was about to be freed; he was being well treated. By “well treated” means militants provide her husband with his own mattress and his last known location is said to be Raqqa, the city considered the capital of ISIS.

Mr Henning’s brother-in-law Colin Livesey said he fears the air strikes could make it harder to find Mr Henning as the group will be forced to move.

Our prayers are with his family.