Kayla Mueller, RIP

While anything ISIS says in this context should be taken with a grain of salt, I do believe that Kayla Mueller (previously just identified as a young female American aid worker who was the only remaining American ISIS hostage) is really dead. What I don't believe is this:

“The failed Jordanian aircraft killed an American female hostage,” said the message. “No mujahid was injured in the bombardment, and all praise is due to Allah.”

As the Jordanians officials quoted in the article point out, how did they know it was a Jordanian aircraft that dropped that particular bomb? There are several different countries participating in the bombing of ISIS positions in Syria. Saying it was a Jordanian bomb works well for ISIS on the propaganda front at this particular moment, when Jordan is intent on hurting the group to avenge its executed pilot.

The other thing I have trouble believing is the claim that no ISIS people (or mujahid, if you prefer) were injured in the bombing. Mueller supposedly died because the building where she was held was bombed and collapsed on top of her. Does that mean she was completely unguarded in that building? They just left her there alone? It suits ISIS's interest to say "that didn't hurt us."

Still, they are probably telling the truth about Mueller's death because this announcement prevents them from later using her in another gruesome video later on. Given the group's history, I don't see why they would give that up with a fake story about someone's death.