Bin Laden bomber in Jordan jail could be traded for pilot, but IS is gunning for Amman to pull out of coalition.

#IS source on Facebook today: "#jordanianpilot Muadh al-Kasasbeh already sentenced by shariah court, will be executed within 48 hours"
— Guy Van Vlierden (@GuyVanVlierden) December 30, 2014

Bin Laden bomber in Jordan jail could be traded for pilot, but IS is gunning for Amman to pull out of coalition. (Annahar).

Jordanian pilot Maaz al-Kassasbeh,whose F-16 fighter plane crashed in Northern Syria on christmas eve, appears to have his nation behind his release from IS militants - with pressure mounting on the government there to trade his return to his family with IS, in exchange for releasing Al Qaeda heavyweights currently in Jordan's jails.

The 26-year-old first lieutenant in the Jordanian air force, was captured by ISIS on December 24th after his F-16 jet crashed while on a mission against the jihadists over northern Syria, believed now to be from engine problems rather than an IS strike.

Although Jordan's muted press are reluctant to say so, it's widely believed in Jordan that the young Jordanian pilot could be exchanged for Ziad al-Karbouli (aka Abu Houthiyfah). Karbouli worked with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the former leader of al-Qaida in Iraq and is believed to be the mastermind behind a number of hotel bombings in 2005 and 2006 which killed 60 and wounded 300.

Washington is anxious that the pilot's capture does not rock the Arab coalition of countries bombing IS as Jordan's role is considered key.

Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates are participating in the Syria airstrikes, with logistical support from Qatar.

But Jordan in particular has come under heavy criticism from its own Sunni hardcore militants for its participation.

Jordanian jihadist leader Mohamed al-Shalabi, better known as Abu Sayyaf, has urged IS to trade the pilot for two prisoners held by the Jordanian authorities. "There is more to gain from freeing the two prisoners than killing the hostage," Abu Sayyaf said in a Thursday statement.

His calls have been followed up by IS, which, according to the Turkish press are now openly demanding the release of a number of Al Qaeda members in Jordan's jails.

The Islamic State group listed several demands it wants Jordan to meet in exchange for the release of the pilot captured when his plane crashed near the Syrian city of Raqqa. The Sunni militant group has demanded Jordan stop fighting with the US-led coalition and release several prisoners in exchange for the pilot, regional media reported yesterday.Read the full story here.