Islamic State publishes interview with captured pilot, asks Twitter followers how to kill him

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The Islamic State released an interview with captured Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh and then used Twitter to ask for recommendations on how to execute him. IS refers to Al-Kasasbeh as "murtadd," which means apostate, someone who abandoned religion, in the new issue of the terrorist organization's Dabiq magazine.

"My plane was struck by a heat-seeking missile," the 26-six-year-old pilot said. "The system display ... indicated that the engine was damaged and burning. The plane began to deviate from its normal flight path, so I ejected."

The pilot said he landed safely in the Euphrates River, but was then captured by IS militants.

The United States has said that his plane was not shot down by a missile.

IS asked Al-Kasasbeh: "Do you know what the Islamic State will do with you?"

"Yes," the pilot replied. "They will kill me."

Hashtags in Arabic translating to "suggest a way to kill the Jordanian pilot pig" and "We all want to slaughter Moaz" were posted on Twitter and retweeted thousands of times.

Others, including Jordan's royal family, used the hashtag "We are all Moaz," getting more support than the posts by IS.