In the latest clip, the Islamic State enforcer demanded a $200million ransom to free Japanese men Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto, giving them just 72 hours to live.

But as the deadline approached the Japanese public responded with a show of defiance by creating dozens of darkly comic internet memes mocking the deranged ISIS killer.

In the pictures, which have been widely shared online, the masked murderer is seen using his knife to carve kebab meat, taking part in a cooking show, and holding a selfie stick.

The vast majority of the posts are written in Japanese, but one in English reads: 'Tomorrow will be sad but it will pass and ISIS will still be a big joke. You can't break our spirit.' 

(dailymail.co.uk)