02/03/2015, 00.00
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The legacy of Kenji Goto: Hate is not for humans

A tweet by the Japanese Christian reporter, killed by the terrorists of the Islamic state, becomes his spiritual testament: "If I get angry or I'll scream it's over. The judgment is God's." The Bishop of Niigata, Msgr. Kikuchi: "We cannot accept that an act so brutal and violent being committed in the name of the Lord, who is the Creator of us all".

Tokyo (AsiaNews) - "Closing my eyes and holding still. It's the end if I get mad or scream. It's close to a prayer. Hate is not for humans. Judgment lies with God. That's what I learned from my Arabic brothers and sisters". This is the content of a tweet posted September 7, 2010 by Kenji Goto Jogo, the Japanese Christian journalist killed two days ago by the terrorists of the Islamic State in Syria. This message has gone viral and has been retweeted 24 thousand times this morning. For commentators, it is the reporter's "spiritual testament".

Goto was held captive along with another Japanese Haruna Yukawa (also killed by Islamic militants), and a Jordanian air force officer, Lieutenant Muath al-Kaseasbeh. There is no news of the fate of the  latter yet: the kidnappers have asked the Amman government to free an Iraqi terrorist Sajida al-Rishawi, but not guaranteed in exchange for his release. Sources in the Kingdom say "all channels are open," but add+ that "we still have no certain news about Muath".

The Bishop of Niigata, Msgr. Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, instead invites the faithful to pray for the victims and their families: "So-called "Islamic State" has killed two Japanese hostages, Mr. Haruna Yukawa and Mr. Kenji Goto. What a sad and brutal conclusion for this hostage-taking incident! We should remember these two Japanese in our prayer and also the Jordanian pilot whose safety is unknown. May God of all consolation grant peace and solace to the family of all these victims of terrorist attack".

For the prelate, the murders committed by terrorists "are unacceptable. The Islamic State claim they are people of the Muslim faith and acting under their teachings, their act of killing innocent people for their own causes could not be accepted as action of religious people. We, people living in any faith, should pay due respect to human life which is precious gift from One God. I have great difficulty to accept any claim of justification of such brutal act in the name of God as plausible explanation of action in front of God the creator of all".

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