The parents of ISIS hostage Peter Kassig tell NBC News that they are speaking publicly about their son in hopes that he will somehow hear their message of support and love. In an interview with NBC News’ National Correspondent Peter Alexander, which will be broadcast in its entirety on Monday on TODAY, Kassig’s parents, Ed and Paula Kassig, say they hope their 26-year-old son will hear this interview or their other public statements and realize he has not been forgotten.
“I am hoping that he will somehow hear of this and of other conversations we’ve had or other times we’ve spoken in public,” Paula Kassig said. “That way he’ll know that we haven’t forgotten him, we haven’t abandoned him and we certainly do love him.” Peter Kassig, who worked as an aid worker in Lebanon and Syria before being captured by Islamic State fighters in October 2013, was paraded on camera by ISIS — wearing an orange jump suit — and named as the next Westerner to be killed if the U.S. does not stop airstrikes against the Islamic extremist group that has overrun a large swathe of Syria and Iraq. While in captivity, he has converted to Islam and changed his name to Abdul-Rahman, according to his family.
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