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Version 2 Version 3
Britain Investigating Whether Journalist’s Executioner Is a British Citizen Leaders Express Outrage as Britain Tries to Identify Beheaded Journalist’s Killer
(about 2 hours later)
LONDON — A video released online of the beheading of an American journalist, James Foley, by a masked, English-speaking militant caused outrage on Wednesday, with Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain breaking off a vacation and President Obama vowing to protect Americans everywhere.LONDON — A video released online of the beheading of an American journalist, James Foley, by a masked, English-speaking militant caused outrage on Wednesday, with Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain breaking off a vacation and President Obama vowing to protect Americans everywhere.
Mr. Obama gave no indication that the United States would stop its airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria despite the beheading, which the militant describes as retaliation for those attacks. The killer “appears to be a British person,” the British foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, said, and British police and security officials were trying to identify him. Experts suggested his accent made him sound like a Londoner.
In a televised statement, the president said: “The United States of America will continue to do what we must do to protect our people. “We will be vigilant and we will be relentless. When people harm Americans, anywhere, we do what’s necessary to see that justice is done.”
The killer “appears to be a British person,” the British foreign minister, Philip Hammond, said, and British police and security officials were trying to identify him. Experts suggested his accent made him sound like a Londoner.
The use of a fluent English speaker to deliver a message aimed at the United States and its intervention in Iraq showed a new sophistication in propaganda and the prevalence of British fighters in ISIS and similar groups, a number British officials estimate at 500 or more, though some have returned home.The use of a fluent English speaker to deliver a message aimed at the United States and its intervention in Iraq showed a new sophistication in propaganda and the prevalence of British fighters in ISIS and similar groups, a number British officials estimate at 500 or more, though some have returned home.
In the video, the man shows another hostage, believed to be another American journalist, Steven Sotloff, a freelancer for Time magazine, who is also threatened with execution. “The video is significant because this is the first official threat coming from ISIS, authorized by the group, telling America and Americans, ‘Now that you’ve intervened, you’re an enemy, and we will go after you,’ ” said Peter Neumann, director of the International Center for the Study of Radicalization and a professor at King’s College, London.
“The video is significant because this is the first official threat coming from ISIS, authorized by the group, telling America and Americans, ‘Now that you’ve intervened, you’re an enemy and we will go after you,' ” said Peter Neumann, director of the International Center for the Study of Radicalization and a professor at King’s College, London.
“We know that ISIS holds other journalists as well as aid workers hostage” from various countries, Mr. Neumann said. Western embassies, consulates and companies in the region are under threat, he said. But there will be some individuals in the West “who are sympathetic to ISIS and see this as a green light to do something,” he suggested.“We know that ISIS holds other journalists as well as aid workers hostage” from various countries, Mr. Neumann said. Western embassies, consulates and companies in the region are under threat, he said. But there will be some individuals in the West “who are sympathetic to ISIS and see this as a green light to do something,” he suggested.
The precise number of hostages held by ISIS is not certain, but includes a large number of aid workers and journalists, a few of them American and some European. As the military campaign against ISIS continues, there is also concern about the safety of these hostages. The precise number of hostages held by ISIS is not certain, but it includes a large number of aid workers and journalists, a few of them American and some European. As the military campaign against ISIS continues, there is also concern about the safety of these hostages.
Both Britain and France have said that they intend to step up activities against ISIS, though not with ground troops, and that has obviously heightened concern about hostages. But even a limited involvement in aiding the Iraqi government in Baghdad and the Kurds in northern Iraq is not likely to escape the attention of ISIS and its fighters. Both Britain and France have said they intend to step up activities against ISIS, though not with ground troops, and that has obviously heightened concern about hostages. Yet even a limited involvement in aiding the Iraqi government in Baghdad and the Kurds in northern Iraq is not likely to escape the attention of ISIS and its fighters.
Mr. Cameron said on Sunday that Britain would send military support to forces fighting ISIS but not ground troops. He warned that not acting could allow the “terrorist movement” to “target us on the streets of Britain.” Mr. Cameron said Sunday that Britain would send military support to forces fighting ISIS but not ground troops. He warned that not acting could allow the “terrorist movement” to “target us on the streets of Britain.”
There is enormous sensitivity among Western nations about revealing whether any of their nationals are held by ISIS and affiliated groups. ISIS hostages include an Italian Jesuit priest and a number of Turks.There is enormous sensitivity among Western nations about revealing whether any of their nationals are held by ISIS and affiliated groups. ISIS hostages include an Italian Jesuit priest and a number of Turks.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists estimates that “approximately 20 journalists are currently missing in Syria, many held by the Islamic State.” The Committee to Protect Journalists, based in New York, estimates that “approximately 20 journalists are currently missing in Syria, many held by the Islamic State.”
Matthew Henman, director of IHS Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Center, said that the group “has seen several unverified reports claiming that militants have been trading, buying and appropriating hostages, including foreigners, to be used for leverage and propaganda purposes.” Matthew Henman, director of IHS Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Center, said the group “has seen several unverified reports claiming that militants have been trading, buying and appropriating hostages, including foreigners, to be used for leverage and propaganda purposes.”
The hostages are one concern, and Westerners joining ISIS as recruits are another. There are deep apprehensions in Britain and elsewhere in Europe that the hundreds of young Muslim citizens, reported to have joined ISIS, are prepared to commit what Mr. Cameron called on Wednesday “shocking and depraved” atrocities.The hostages are one concern, and Westerners joining ISIS as recruits are another. There are deep apprehensions in Britain and elsewhere in Europe that the hundreds of young Muslim citizens, reported to have joined ISIS, are prepared to commit what Mr. Cameron called on Wednesday “shocking and depraved” atrocities.
Officials say between 70 and 100 Americans also are thought to have fought with ISIS and allied groups. Officials say 70 to 100 Americans are also thought to have fought with ISIS and allied groups.
Concern is widespread that Westerners who are trained to fight in Syria and Iraq will return home and commit terrorist acts in the name of their cause, especially if they see themselves as retaliating for Western attacks on ISIS.Concern is widespread that Westerners who are trained to fight in Syria and Iraq will return home and commit terrorist acts in the name of their cause, especially if they see themselves as retaliating for Western attacks on ISIS.
According to the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Bernard Hogan-Howe, as many as half the 500 or so Britons who have fought in Iraq and Syria are Londoners who could return home “radicalized, militarized and potentially desensitized to violence.” According to the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Bernard Hogan-Howe, as many as half of the 500 or so Britons who have fought in Iraq and Syria are Londoners who could return home “radicalized, militarized and potentially desensitized to violence.”
The video of Mr. Foley’s execution, posted on YouTube on Tuesday but soon removed, shows Mr. Foley, who was kidnapped in Syria nearly two years ago, kneeling in a desert setting with the masked man dressed in black standing over him. After a message from Mr. Foley, the masked man, speaking English, says the execution is in retaliation for American airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq.
In London, the Metropolitan Police’s Counter-Terrorism Command issued a statement about the video, saying: “We would like to remind the public that viewing, downloading or disseminating extremist material within the U.K. may constitute an offense under terrorism legislation.”
According to The Guardian, which cited a former hostage, the jihadi in the video is an Englishman who calls himself “John” and is one of three British militants thought to be the main guards of foreign hostages in Raqqa, a center of ISIS control in Syria.According to The Guardian, which cited a former hostage, the jihadi in the video is an Englishman who calls himself “John” and is one of three British militants thought to be the main guards of foreign hostages in Raqqa, a center of ISIS control in Syria.
“John” is believed to be from London and was said to be the main rebel negotiator during talks this year to release 11 hostages held by ISIS. They were eventually handed to Turkish officials after ransom demands were met, the newspaper said.“John” is believed to be from London and was said to be the main rebel negotiator during talks this year to release 11 hostages held by ISIS. They were eventually handed to Turkish officials after ransom demands were met, the newspaper said.
France has called for a more coherent international response to ISIS. “We can no longer keep to the traditional debate of intervention or nonintervention,” President François Hollande told the newspaper Le Monde. “We have to come up with a global strategy to fight this group, which is structured, has significant financing, very sophisticated weapons and threatens countries like Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.” According to Shiraz Maher, also at the International Center for the Study of Radicalization, Britons fighting with ISIS “are among some of the most vicious and vociferous fighters out there,” and they have been emboldened in the two months or so since ISIS proclaimed it had created a caliphate, a monolithic Islamic state across Syria and Iraq.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s foreign minister, has said ISIS poses an “existential threat” to the Kurds, Iraq and the whole of the Middle East, and the German government said it would explore what arms it could contribute to the Kurdish cause. “In Germany and in Europe we cannot be indifferent,” he said.
“We can imagine further providing further military support, including weapons,” Mr. Steinmeier told reporters in Berlin. “We are prepared to do this and will, of course, coordinate with our European partners.”
The decision is significant for Germany, which since World War II has been reluctant to contribute anything beyond humanitarian aid or support services to conflicts beyond its borders.
According to Shiraz Maher, also at the International Center for the Study of Radicalization, Britons fighting with ISIS “are among some of the most vicious and vociferous fighters out there,” and they have been emboldened in the two months or so since ISIS proclaimed it had created a caliphate, a monolithic Islamic state spanning Syria and Iraq.
And now, ISIS is in a more direct confrontation with the West.And now, ISIS is in a more direct confrontation with the West.
The British foreign minister, Mr. Hammond, said Britain was “absolutely aware that there are significant numbers of British nationals involved in terrible crimes, probably in the commission of atrocities, making jihad.” Mr. Hammond, the foreign secretary, told the BBC that Britain would work with the United States to identify Mr. Foley’s killer and to monitor ISIS fighters. “This is something we have been tracking and dealing with for many, many months, I don’t think this video changes anything, it just heightens awareness of a situation which is very grave,” Mr. Hammond said.
He told the BBC that Britain would work with the United States to identify Mr. Foley’s killer and to monitor ISIS fighters. “This is something we have been tracking and dealing with for many, many months, I don’t think this video changes anything, it just heightens awareness of a situation which is very grave,” Mr. Hammond said.
Mr. Cameron had been taking a family vacation in Cornwall, in southwest England, and had been criticized in some newspapers for doing so while Iraq’s crisis unfolded.Mr. Cameron had been taking a family vacation in Cornwall, in southwest England, and had been criticized in some newspapers for doing so while Iraq’s crisis unfolded.
The Muslim Council of Britain, the country’s largest Muslim umbrella organization, condemned the execution of Mr. Foley. In a statement it said that “ISIS does not speak for Islam, and has been repudiated by all Muslims. Their message only appeals to those who are easily duped by their twisted message purporting to be Islam. They seek to glamorize their violence, and unfortunately, the media has a part to play in adding to that glamour.” The Muslim Council of Britain, the country’s largest Muslim umbrella organization, condemned the execution of Mr. Foley. In a statement, it said that “ISIS does not speak for Islam, and has been repudiated by all Muslims.”
“Their message only appeals to those who are easily duped by their twisted message purporting to be Islam,” it said. “They seek to glamorize their violence, and unfortunately, the media has a part to play in adding to that glamour.”