Poignant messages sent by executed hostage Kenji Goto on Twitter before he was taken hostage bear silent witness to his courage as a journalist in a conflict zone.

Tens of thousands of well-wishers have been paying tribute to Goto by forwarding posts visible on his @kenjigotoip account page.

"Closing my eyes and holding still. If I get mad or scream, it would be over," Goto wrote. "It's like praying. Hatred is not for humans. Judgment lies with God. I learned this from my Arab brothers."