Update: 17/May/2016

Great to see that Alan Henning’s home  town is to honour his memory  and open a  memorial garden  to this kind , beautiful human –  who was killed by the scum of the earth , whilst helping others. His memory will live long and one day Karma will catch up with those responsible for his brutal, pointless murder.

Karma always collects its debts

A memorial to murdered Islamic State hostage Alan Henning will be opened on Tuesday.

The circular garden, at Eccles Recreation Ground, has been created at the site where hundreds of Salfordians gathered for a moving candlelit vigil the weekend that news of Alan’s brutal killing was announced in October 2014.

He had been kidnapped while delivering aid to Syria in December 2013.

Ceremonial Mayor of Salford Councillor Peter Dobbs will open proceedings at 6pm

see Manchester Evening News for full story & details.

Alan Henning – A Saint who died helping others

Eccles marks anniversary with yellow ribbons

A Greater Manchester town has been adorned with yellow ribbons to mark the first anniversary of aid worker Alan Henning’s murder.

The 47-year old taxi driver, from Eccles, Salford, was taking aid to Syria when he was kidnapped and killed by Islamic State (IS) militants in October 2014.

At the time, he was the fourth western hostage to be murdered by the group. People in Eccles laid the ribbons in memory of Mr Henning. A similar tribute was held in the days after his death.

Meanwhile, Eccles MP Barbara Keeley has renewed calls for Prime Minister David Cameron to officially recognise his charity work with a posthumous award.

“I think there should be some way to mark the noble sacrifice that Alan made,” said Ms Keeley.

“His mission to help children in Syria was a remarkable one and, of course, he lost his life.

“I think that should be marked with some sort of formal award.”

Ms Keeley said she had spoken to Mr Cameron and hoped there could soon be developments.

Prayers will also be said over the weekend at Eccles Parish Church

Original story BBC News

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Among the catalogue of horrors committed by these animals the murder of Alan Henning struck a cord deep in my soul. Here was a kind, gentle man giving his time and energy to help people  in Syria  and yet his sadistic killers used his murder to promote their twisted ideology and shock the world with the video of his beheading.

Words could not express the revulsion this caused around the world and if anything I feel his murder appalled even other Islamic extremists and damaged the credibility of ISIS among their deluded followers. What kind of god would want innocence like Alan killed in such a barbaric manner is beyond me.

But I believe in Karma and Karma always collects its debts!

Alan Henning

Alan Henning (15 August 1967 – c. 3 October 2014) was an English taxicab driver-turned-volunteer humanitarian aid worker.

He was the fourth Western hostage killed by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) whose killing was publicised in a beheading video.

Henning was captured during ISIL’s occupation of the Syrian city of Al-Dana in December 2013. He was there helping provide humanitarian relief.  The British Foreign Office withheld news of Henning’s capture while it attempted to negotiate his release.

Local colleagues warned Henning not to cross the border into Syria, but he said he wanted to make sure the supplies were delivered safely.

When he was captured, Henning was a driver for the organisation Rochdale Aid 4 Syria. Rochdale Aid 4 Syria campaigned the release of Al Qaeda terrorist Aaifa Siddiqui, currently serving an 86 year prison sentence. The group even named projects in her honour. Rochdale Aid 4 Syria was condemned fiercely by the local MP Simon Danczuk.

Rochdale Aid 4 Syria also raised money on behalf of Al-Fatiha Global, a British-based organisation which claimed to provide humanitarian aid to those caught up in warzones. Al-Fatiha Global is a registered charity which was under investigation by the Charity Commission after one of its workers was photographed with his arms around two hooded fighters carrying machine guns. Al-Fatiha Global said that worker had been dismissed. Al Qaeda member Adam Gadahn condemned the beheading.

Henning was shown at the end of David Cawthorne Haines‘s execution video, released on 13 September 2014, and was referred to as being the next victim by Mohammed Emwazi, the media described as “Jihadi John” of the ISIL cell described as The Beatles. A video of Henning’s beheading was released on 3 October 2014. After his execution, British Prime Minister David Cameron ordered MI5, MI6, and GCHQ to track and kill or capture the killer

Early life

Henning was a cab driver in Salford, Greater Manchester, in North West England before he travelled to Syria in December 2013 to be a volunteer aid worker.  He has also been described as being from Eccles, Greater Manchester.^[12] There has also been a fundraising page set up to help his family.

He was married to Barbara Livesey Henning  and had two children, Lucy and Adam.

Kidnapping

Henning was part of a team of volunteers delivering goods in December 2013 to people affected by Syria’s civil war. He was abducted on 26 December 2013 by masked gunmen, according to other people in his aid convoy.

Beheading

A video released on 3 October 2014 shows his apparent beheading;the executioner blames it on the UK for its joining the U.S.-led bombing campaign against ISIS.

Before his throat is slit, Henning appears on camera, seemingly handcuffed behind his back and in a kneeling position, next to a knife-wielding masked man (Jihadi John, of the ISIL cell known as The Beatles). Henning speaks, referencing the British Parliament‘s decision to participate in a coalition of countries, such as the United States, that have banded together to bomb the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The end of the video shows American aid worker Peter Kassig, and a threat to his life.

Reactions

 

Prime Minister David Cameron condemned the killing as “absolutely appalling” and “completely unforgivable” and vowed to do everything to defeat ISIL. He described Henning as a man of great peace, kindness and gentleness, saying:

“He went with many Muslim friends out to do no more than simply help other people. His Muslim friends will be mourning him at this special time of Eid and the whole country is mourning with them.”

On 5 October prayers were said for Henning in churches across Bolton. The Bishop of Bolton Rt Rev Chris Edmondson said: “This is the most horrific, brutal and barbaric act. Leaders of Christian and Muslim faiths have universally condemned this act.” Bolton Interfaith Council and Bolton Council of Mosques, who had held a vigil for Henning before news of his death, said they would continue to pray for him.

A special service of remembrance was held at Eccles Parish Church, attended by Henning’s widow. A memorial fund had been set up, by friend and fellow aid-worker Shameela Islam-Zulfiqar, with the aim of raising £20,000 . By 9 October £30,000 had been raised by the Muslim community and would be used to help support Henning’s family. A further memorial service was held on 12 October at the British Muslim Heritage Centre, organised by friends and humanitarian aid colleagues of Henning, attracting over 600 people.

On 7 October, former Guantánamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg proclaimed that he had offered to intervene to help secure Henning’s release.

The Salafi Muslims of the UK also condemned the murder of Alan Henning noting that ISIS has violated Islam’s respect for covenants and that ISIS had also mistreated Henning and the Muslims captured along with him. While a London-based follower of Omar Bakri, Mizanur Rahman (aka Abu Baraa), justified the killing. Mizanur Rahman however was strongly criticised by Salafi Muslims.

On 15 October Labour MP Barbara Keeley, speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions, called for a national honour to recognise Henning’s sacrifice, and for support for his widow and children. David Cameron agreed and said he would look carefully at her suggestion.

In an al Qaeda magazine interview, terrorist leader Adam Gadahn condemned ISIS and the execution of Alan Henning, saying that al Qaeda had pleaded for his release and saying ISIS will be punished in the afterlife.