Jordan has demanded that the Islamic State group release both Japanese journalist Kenji Goto and captured Jordanian air force pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh, whose jet fighter crashed in Syria in December, Kyodo News reported Tuesday, quoting a senior Jordanian lawmaker.

Kyodo quoted Bassam al-Manaseer, chairman of the Arab International Affairs Committee, as saying the best scenario may be for Jordan to release Sajida al-Rishawi, an Iraqi would-be suicide bomber whose explosives failed during a coordinated attack on hotels in Amman in 2005, in exchange for both hostages.

The agency quoted him as saying Amman has been in contact with the militants through a third party.