Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos’ statement regarding the killing of Japanese citizen Haruna Yukawa by ISIS executioners

“The abhorrent murder of a Japanese citizen, Haruna Yukawa, by the executioners of the ‘Islamic Caliphate’ is yet another cowardly and irrational act of barbarity, yet another heinous crime of this terrorist organization, the exclusive targets of which are innocent citizens and civilians. We call for the immediate release of the Japanese journalist who is also being held hostage by the Jihadists.

We express our condolences to the family of the victim and to the government and citizens of Japan. We express our solidarity with all of the populations and communities in the region who are suffering under the base regime of the ‘Islamic State’.

This new atrocity of the jihadist extremists of the “Islamic Caliphate” strengthens the international community’s resolve to do whatever is necessary to bring the perpetrators to justice and to eradicate the threat that this organization constitutes to the peace and prosperity of the peoples of the region.”