Alan Henning's Wife Barbara Makes Televised Appeal to Isis to Release her Husband

Barbara Henning, the wife of Alan Henning, the Salford taxi driver threatened with execution by Isis, has made her first televised appearance to plead with the group to release her husband.

In an emotional appeal Mrs Henning referred to the fact that Muslims around the world had called for Alan's release and referred to the fact that a Sharia Court had found her husband innocent of all charges. "Muslims across the globe continue to question Islamic State over Alan's fate," said Mrs Henning. "Their position regarding his statement is unequivocal. He is innocent."

Father-of-two Henning, 47, had travelled to Syria with a Muslim convoy to help refugee children who were victims of the civil war. Some commentators have questioned why he voluntarily chose to visit such a dangerous place, but Mrs Henning was adamant he was doing the right thing.

"Some say wrong time, wrong place," she said. "Alan was volunteering with his Muslim friends to help the people of Syria. He was in the right place during the right time."

Henning was kidnapped by the Islamist group last Boxing Day but the only time he has been seen was in the video showing the beheading of fellow British aid worker David Haines, warning that Henning would be next.

Mrs Henning appealed to Isis as statesmen: "We are at a loss why those leading Islamic State cannot open their hearts and minds to the truth about Alan's humanitarian motives for going to Syria and why they continue to ignore the verdicts of their own justice system. Surely those who wish to be known as a state will act in a statesmanlike way by showing mercy and providing clemency."

At the end of the appeal Mrs Henning had one final message for her husband - and one for his captors. "Alan, we miss you and we're dreadfully concerned for your safety. But we are given so much hope by the outcry across the world as to your imprisonment. We ask Islamic State: Please release him. We need him back home."