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Islamist militants 'kill reporter James Foley on video' | Islamist militants 'kill reporter James Foley on video' |
(35 minutes later) | |
The Islamic State militant group has released a video online purporting to show the beheading of US journalist James Foley, missing since 2012. | |
The militants said the killing was revenge for US air strikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq. | |
Foley's mother Diane said on Facebook she was proud of her son: "He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people." | |
The White House said if the video was genuine, the US would be "appalled". | |
Foley has reported extensively across the Middle East, working for America's Global Post and other media outlets including the French news agency AFP. | Foley has reported extensively across the Middle East, working for America's Global Post and other media outlets including the French news agency AFP. |
'Second prisoner' | 'Second prisoner' |
In the video titled A Message to America, a man who appears to be James Foley is dressed in orange kneeling in desert-like terrain beside an armed man dressed in black. | In the video titled A Message to America, a man who appears to be James Foley is dressed in orange kneeling in desert-like terrain beside an armed man dressed in black. |
The militant, who speaks with a British accent and identifies himself as an IS member, says the journalist's death is the direct result of US bombing of IS targets in Iraq. | The militant, who speaks with a British accent and identifies himself as an IS member, says the journalist's death is the direct result of US bombing of IS targets in Iraq. |
In a statement, the Global Post asked for "prayers for Jim and his family", adding that it was waiting for the video to be verified. | |
In a 2012 interview with the BBC, Foley described his motivation for covering conflicts. | In a 2012 interview with the BBC, Foley described his motivation for covering conflicts. |
"I'm drawn to the drama of the conflict and trying to expose untold stories," he said. | "I'm drawn to the drama of the conflict and trying to expose untold stories," he said. |
"There's extreme violence, but there's a will to find who these people really are... And I think that's what's really inspiring about it". | |
Foley was also briefly detained in Libya in 2011. | Foley was also briefly detained in Libya in 2011. |
US officials confirmed that they had seen the video and were trying to establish its authenticity. | US officials confirmed that they had seen the video and were trying to establish its authenticity. |
President Barack Obama had also been informed. | President Barack Obama had also been informed. |
White House National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said: "If genuine, we are appalled by the brutal murder of an innocent American journalist and we express our deepest condolences to his family and friends." | White House National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said: "If genuine, we are appalled by the brutal murder of an innocent American journalist and we express our deepest condolences to his family and friends." |
The footage claimed to have been released by the IS also shows another prisoner identified by the militants as an American reporter. | The footage claimed to have been released by the IS also shows another prisoner identified by the militants as an American reporter. |
Mrs Foley, in her Facebook post, urged the militants to free any other hostages. | |
"Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world," she wrote. | |
The militant group has been accused of massacring hundreds of people in areas under their control in Iraq and also in eastern Syria. | The militant group has been accused of massacring hundreds of people in areas under their control in Iraq and also in eastern Syria. |
The violence has displaced an estimated 1.2 million people in Iraq alone. | |
Pursuing an extreme form of Sunni Islam, IS has persecuted non-Muslims such as Yazidis and Christians, as well as Shia Muslims, whom it regards as heretics. | Pursuing an extreme form of Sunni Islam, IS has persecuted non-Muslims such as Yazidis and Christians, as well as Shia Muslims, whom it regards as heretics. |