Alan Henning murder: Outpouring of tributes following 'brutal murder' of Salford father-of-two in latest Isis video
Yellow ribbons have been put up around the married aid convoy driver’s home town in his memory
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Your support makes all the difference.The death of Alan Henning, believed killed at the hands of Islamic State militants after a video was released showing his apparent beheading, has sparked an outpouring of tributes to the late father-of-two.
Mr Henning, a taxi driver from Eccles in Salford, Manchester, had been delivering much needed aid to Syria when he was kidnapped last December shortly after crossing into the country.
He is the fourth hostage to have been shown in a video delivering a message to the west alongside the now infamous “Jihadi John”.
Releasing a statement on Friday, Prime Minister David Cameron said the “brutal murder” of Mr Henning showed “just how barbaric these terrorists are”.
He added: “My thoughts are with his wife and their children.”
Mr Cameron was due to receive a briefing on Saturday morning by officials from intelligence agencies and the military about Mr Henning's death, which has received worldwide condemnation.
Among those to pay tribute to the taxi driver was his local MP, Barbara Keeley who posted on her Twitter account shortly after footage purportedly showing his death was released on Friday.
She wrote. “Brutal murder of Alan Henning is a devastating loss for his family and the community in Eccles. My thoughts and prayers are with Alan’s family.”
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, she said news of Mr Henning’s death had not only been “devastating” for his family “but also for the community as a whole”.
“Everyone takes great pride in him and what he was doing,” she added.
Alan Henning had been on several aid convoys in Syria before his capture.
“You hear people, whether that be regular taxi customers of his, or others, telling so many stories about what a great man he was. And people will also remember him for the work he was doing.
“He was a good man trying to help families and children who had suffered.”
Yellow ribbons have been put up around the married aid convoy driver’s home town in his memory.
Mr Henning's wife, Barbara, had this week made a desperate plea to her husband’s captors to release him after he appeared at the end of a video showing the death of Briton David Haines last month.
Others to pay tribute to Mr Henning included the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who said Mr Henning’s memory “will last”, adding: “He gave his life serving people far away with nobility and love”.
French president Francois Hollande was also said to have been “outraged” by the “heinous crime” and said it would not go unpunished.
In a statement released on Saturday, Manchester’s Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd said news of Mr Henning’s death will have “shocked” the people of Greater Manchester.
“This is murder, plain and simple,” the Manchester Evening News reported him saying.
“That it could be claimed to be in the name of religion is obscene and all people of faith will abhor this brutal act of cowardice.”
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