PRESS RELEASE: Widow of British aid worker killed in Syria appeals to IS to release Alan Henning while UK Parliamentarians vote for bloodshed

<div class="field_article_img"><div><b>Image:</b></div><img src="https://cage.ngo/wp-content/uploads/photo_3.jpg"></div><div class="field_article_author"><div><b>Written By:</b></div>Editor </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://cage.ngo/wp-content/uploads/photo_3_2.jpg" style="width: 422px; height: 237px;" /></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The widow of Dr Abbas Khan, a British aid worker killed in Syria has called on IS to release Alan Henning. <a href="http://bit.ly/Zgs86d"><strong>Click here to read and listen to the appeal.</strong></a></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>In an audio recorded appeal exclusively published by CAGE [1] [2] in Arabic with an English translation, Umm Abdullah appeals to the captors of Alan Henning for his release.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><div style="font-size: 16.5165157318115px;"><div style="font-size: 16.5165157318115px;">Cerie Bullivant, spokesperson for CAGE, said: &quot;From a wife who knows exactly what Alan Henning&#39;s wife is feeling, this is a welcome appeal. While the Muslim community call for the safe release of a non Muslim aid worker, the British government are intervening in Iraq yet again, contributing to the bloodshed of potentially thousands of innocent lives. We call on the British public to hold this government to account to do more to protect its citizens and not entering wars which they have no interest in.&quot;</div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div><div>Umm Abdullah describes her appeal as &quot;a humble call to the men of the Islamic State from Umm Abdullah&quot;. Invoking Allah, she then goes on to ask IS to recognise that Alan Henning was an aid worker and that they should release him. &quot;This is my call to you, in which I beg you in the name of our Almighty to protect Alan Henning and release him. By Allah I cannot see you killing him after he left his joyful world for no purpose other than aiding our Muslim women and children in Shaam [Syria]&quot;.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>She also refers to herself as the widow of a shaheed or martyr - a status considered lofty in Islam - because of the circumstances surrounding the death of her husband who was a medical doctor and humanitarian aid worker.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Her husband Dr Abbas Khan died while in the custody of the Assad regime in Syria. It is widely thought that the Syrian regime were responsible for his death. [3]</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Umm Abdullah has also translated into English an interview between CAGE and Heba al-Debbagh, who was tortured by Syrian state authorities in the 1980s, during a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood.[5]</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>[ENDS]</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Notes:</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>1. The appeal by the wife of Dr Abbas Khan can be viewed here:&nbsp;<a href="http://bit.ly/Zgs86d">http://bit.ly/Zgs86d</a></div><div>2. CAGE (formerly known as CagePrisoners) is an independent advocacy organisation that works to empower communities affected by the War on Terror and to highlight abuses of due process.</div><div>3. An article written by Asim Qureshi of CAGE, who knew Dr Abbas Khan, can be read here:&nbsp;<a href="http://bit.ly/1yuc00r">http://bit.ly/1yuc00r</a></div><div>4. <a href="https://cage.ngo/?p=3155">http://cageuk.org/article/interview-heba-al-dabbagh-speaks-cage</a></div><div>5. CAGE spokespeople are available to comment on this issue</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>PRESS ENQUIRIES:</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Contact: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Mr Amandla Thomas-Johnson</div><div>Phone: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;+(44) 207 377 6700</div><div>Email: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;press@cageuk.org</div><div>Web: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;cage.ngo</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>CAGE</div><div>27 Old Gloucester Street</div><div>London</div><div>WC1N 3XX</div>