John Cantlie: British journalist captured by Isis in Syria is still alive, government believes

Announcement follows unconfirmed sightings of photographer in Syria

British Isis hostage John Cantlie is believed to be alive more than six years after being captured, the security minister has said.

The war photographer was kidnapped alongside James Foley in 2012, and was later forced to appear in a series of propaganda videos and magazines.

Ben Wallace told US journalists Mr Cantlie is believed to still be alive as a prisoner of the terrorist group, but would give no further details.

There have been several unconfirmed sightings of the hostage in Syria since his most recent appearance in an Isis propaganda video released in December 2016.

That footage showed Mr Cantlie in the city of Mosul, which has since been retaken from Isis along with almost all of its former “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria.

There were fears he may have been killed in heavy bombing of terrorist strongholds or battles that continue to rage along the Euphrates River.

Reacting to Mr Wallace’s statement, the Free John Cantlie campaign said: “Whilst this is not substantiated at present, we continue to hope and pray that this turns out to be true.”

Mr Cantlie, who worked as a freelance war photographer and correspondent for several British newspapers, was kidnapped by Islamist rebels with American journalist Mr Foley in November 2012.

Mr Foley was beheaded alongside other British and American hostages in 2014, when Mr Cantlie was forced to appear in his first propaganda videos criticising western foreign policy and military action.

He was later featured in a series of mock news reports from different Isis strongholds, and his byline appeared on articles in the group’s English-language magazine.

Mr Cantlie was previously abducted by militants while crossing into Syria in August 2012, alongside Dutch photographer Jeroen Oerlemans, but was rescued by the Free Syrian Army.

His relatives have made a series of emotional appeals for his release, and two years after his capture his father Paul Cantlie released a video shortly before dying.

Mr Cantlie’s sister, Jessica Cantlie, appealed for “direct contact” with Isis in 2014 and said the family were open to dialogue with the jihadis.

Mr Cantlie is one of at least three foreign journalists unaccounted for in Syria, including American Austin Tice and South African Shiraz Mohamed.