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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Philip Hammond condemns US journalist 'beheading' | Philip Hammond condemns US journalist 'beheading' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Philip Hammond has described the apparent beheading of a US journalist by an Islamic State militant with a British accent as "an appalling example of the brutality of this organisation". | Philip Hammond has described the apparent beheading of a US journalist by an Islamic State militant with a British accent as "an appalling example of the brutality of this organisation". |
| The foreign secretary said a video of the killing appeared to be genuine. | The foreign secretary said a video of the killing appeared to be genuine. |
| He added that the government was aware of "significant numbers" of British nationals involved with extremist organisations overseas. | He added that the government was aware of "significant numbers" of British nationals involved with extremist organisations overseas. |
| James Foley, 40, has been missing since he was seized in Syria in 2012. | |
| Mr Hammond told BBC Breakfast that while the video, which was posted online, had not been verified, "all the hallmarks point to it being genuine". | |
| 'Direct threat' | |
| He acknowledged the militant spoke with a British accent but said further analysis of the footage was needed. | |
| "We're absolutely aware that there are significant numbers of British nationals involved in terrible crimes, probably in the commission of atrocities, making jihad with Isil [now known as IS] and other extremist organisations," he said. | |
| "This is something we have been tracking and dealing with for many many months and I don't think this video changes anything. | |
| "It just heightens awareness of a situation which is very grave and which we've been working on for many months." | |
| Mr Hammond said the involvement of British nationals with extremist groups was one of the reasons that IS "represents such a direct threat" to the UK's security. | |
| He added: "Many of these people may seek at some point to return to the UK and they would then pose a direct threat to our domestic security." | |
| In the video titled A Message to America a man who appears to be Mr Foley is wearing an orange jumpsuit, kneeling in desert-like terrain beside an armed man dressed in black. | |
| The masked 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 foreign secretary felt "absolute horror" at the "brutal execution", he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | |
| 'Exposing suffering' | |
| The White House said if the video was genuine, the US would be "appalled by the murder of an innocent American journalist". | |
| Mr Foley's mother Diane said on Facebook she was proud of her son, who had reported extensively across the Middle East, working for America's Global Post and other media outlets including the French news agency AFP. | |
| "He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people," she wrote. |