The Islamic State appears to have burned alive a Jordanian pilot who was being held captive by the terrorist organization since December, according to a new undated video released by the Islamic State's media arm on Tuesday.
Lt. Muath al-Kasasbeh, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, appears to be standing in an outdoor cage with a line of fuel leading to him, which is then ignited, causing him to burst into flames, according to the gruesome footage. The pilot's death comes just days after ISIS uploaded another video showing what appeared to be the decapitated head of a Japanese hostage, journalist Kenji Goto, USA Today reported.
The footage, produced by the al-Furqan Media Foundation, marks the first time a high profile hostage has been killed by fire, IntelCenter, which monitors extremist websites, said in a statement.
"It shows how the group is continually evolving its methods to gain the maximum exposure for its actions," IntelCenter said.
If proven to be authentic, the 22-minute video would bring a tragic end to speculation into the fate of al-Kasasbeh, who was captured when his plane crashed during a bombing mission in Syria on Dec. 24, ABC News reported.
Last week, the Jordanian government had offered to release an al-Qaeda prisoner in exchange for al-Kasasbeh, but the deal fell through when ISIS failed to prove that the pilot was alive. Additionally, instead of agreeing to al-Kasasbeh's freedom, the terror group offered to release Goto in exchange for Sajida al-Rishawi, an Iraqi woman facing execution in a Jordanian prison for her role in a 2005 suicide bomb attack that killed 60 people in Amman.
However, amid conflicting information, Jordan TV and Al-Arabiya reported that the hostage had been killed almost a month ago, according to Fox News.
Meanwhile, the U.S. intelligence community is "working to confirm the video's authenticity," a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said.
"The United States strongly condemns [ISIS's] actions and we call for the immediate release of all those held captive by [ISIS]," spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said. "We stand in solidarity with the Government of Jordan and the Jordanian people."
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told ABC News the video was "just another manifestation of the evil that we're facing and the administration has done nothing."
"They are not losing. ISIS is not losing. I promise you," he said.
