A MUSLIM leader from Worcester has condemned the murder of hostages by Islamic State (IS) and called for the immediate release of a British hostage threatened with death by militants.

Haris Saleem, chairman of the Worcester Muslim Welfare Association, called for the release of Alan Henning as he spoke exclusively to your Worcester News at the Central Mosque in the city's Tallow Hill yesterday (Thursday).

Mr Henning, 47, of Greater Manchester was seized after he crossed the border into Syria as part of an aid convoy last December.

He may have been linked to an aid convoy from Worcester-based charity Al-Fatiha Global as reported nationally but the charity has yet to provide further details to your Worcester News. A video showing a representative of the charity appealing for Mr Henning's life has also been shown on national news.

Islamic state yesterday (Thursday) released a new video of its own of a third hostage after the life of Mr Henning was threatened in a previous video. So far three hostages, one of them British, have been murdered by a suspected British militant dubbed 'Jihadi John'.

Mr Saleem, 50, of St Peter's, said: "As far as the Muslim Welfare Association is concerned we are a very small organisation in a quiet part of the world. We are against any sort of violence, any sort of illegal activity or killing anywhere in the world."

The heartfelt statement from Mr Saleem corresponds to calls from more than 100 Muslim leaders in an unprecedented joint appeal to the kidnappers of Alan Henning to release the aid worker unharmed or commit the “worst condemnable sin” against Islam.

The statement to The Independent newspaper has been signed by dozens of Imams from across the UK as well as community leaders and other prominent Muslims. It has been passed on to Mr Henning’s family.

Mr Saleem, echoed this call and said what had happened was 'terrible' as Mr Henning had been acting on behalf of a good cause and said Islam taught that all guests should be protected.

He said: "Personally, I think they should release him and with all the dignity and honour that Islam teaches us. If someone has their own teachings, they are not the teachings of true Islam. He (Alan) was there to help people. He wasn't there spying or doing anything which harmed their country. He went there with all the Muslim brothers and sisters who took aid from this country to Syria."

Between 400 and 500 Muslims attend the mosque for prayers on Fridays, including people who had performed aid work for Al-Fatiha Global, Mr Saleem said.

The charity which has been linked to Mr Henning which Mr Saleem said had helped raise funds for the people of Gaza and Syria.

The mosque also raises funds for these causes directly and to help with natural disasters like the floods in Pakistan.

He said: "The Muslim community is very generous and peaceful. I represent Worcester's Muslims and they are very humble and very lawful. The beheading of hostages is very wrong and I would condemn it. Life is very precious."

Mr Saleem had this message to anyone listening to the YouTube appeal for Mr Henning's release or to his own words in the Worcester news: "Definitely, we want to see him released. We request this personally if they can read this or hear. If they can hear, if they have any respect or any love of the Prophet they should release him. He is an innocent man who was there for a good cause and he should be released."