U.S. Officials Confirm Video Shows Islamic State Militants Beheading Missing American Journalist

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A grisly video released Tuesday shows Islamic State militants beheading American journalist James Foley, U.S. officials said, in what the extremists called retribution for recent U.S. airstrikes in Iraq. The militants threatened to kill another captive they also identified as an American journalist.

Separately, Foley's family confirmed his death in a statement posted on a Facebook page that was created to rally support for his release, saying they "have never been prouder of him."

"He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people," said the statement, which was attributed to Foley's mother, Diane Foley. She implored the militants to spare the lives of other hostages. "Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world."

The statement was posted on a Facebook page called "Find James Foley," which his family has used a number of times since his November 2012 disappearance. Earlier Tuesday, a red-eyed but gracious Diane Foley said the family would not name an immediate statement when approached at her home by an Associated Press reporter. A priest arrived at the home several hours later.

Read more: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2014/aug/20/us-officials-confirm-video-showing-islamic-state-m/

[KJG52]

1. ISIL

These Psychotic religious extremists are trying to bait the USA into putting troops on the ground again in Iraq as a recruiting tool. This BS of trying to destabilize regimes in the ME is driven by Israel, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, all for their own reasons and none of them are in the interest of America. This killing of an innocent journalist is horrible, but it is not a reason to put troops in Iraq.

[C Moon]

2. Sad. :(

[951-Riverside]

3. Syria: Arming the Rebels (PBS)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/syria-arming-the-rebels/

[mainer]

17. Unfortunately, that headline can be read as "Syria arming the rebels"

which is not at all what's happening. It's the US arming the rebels, against Assad.

And Assad is fighting ISIS.

So we're arming the bad guys. Again.

[roguevalley]

4. it will be out there. do yourself a favor and not watch it.

I feel for his family and for him all alone. I hold the rest of the arab nations responsible for this because they live with their heads up their butts. These guys will be coming for them next.

[CJCRANE]

5. It's time for Sunni muslims worldwide and arab countries to step up to the plate

and disown and totally repudiate these people.

Call them blasphemers, call them heretics or satanists, call them whatever you want but push them out of the community and stand up to them.

It's no longer okay to be a "good German" and keep silent.

And it's time for us to repudiate the warmongers who directly and indirectly support these monsters.

[cosmicone]

12. It will never happen and not one Muslim leader has condemned it

I shall refrain from typing the rest of the post lest it might get hidden....

[CJCRANE]

14. Apart from Saudi, Egyptian, Turkish, Iranian, British etc. clerics.

You see what you want to see.

FWIW I watch a variety of news channels and read newspapers (online) from all over the world.

[denem]

19. cosmicone, that is wilful ignorance. Muslim media is full of condemnations.

World Muslims Deplore Journalist Beheading

CAIRO – The beheading of US photo journalist James Foley claimed by the so-called Islamic State has sparked angry condemnations from Muslims around the world as a barbaric act that goes against the true teachings of Islam.

... Muslim leaders condemned beheadings carried out by the IS, terming them deplorable atrocities that tarnish the image of Islam including Muslim community leader Dr Jamal Rifi and Grand Mufti of Australia.

In Bosnia, Mufti Mustafa Ceric deplored the murder on Twitter where he wrote, “We are appalled by brutal killing of an American journalist James #Foley Again, we repeat our full condemnation of this pure evil! #ISIS”.

The Muslim Council of Britain has also condemned the barbarity of ISIL.

http://www.onislam.net/english/news/americas/476423-world-muslims-deplore-journalist-beheading.html

Grand Mufti, Saudi's Top Islamic Leader: Islamic State And Al-Qaeda Are 'Enemy Number One Of Islam'

RIYADH, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheik Abdulaziz Al al-Sheik, the highest religious authority in the country, said on Tuesday the militant groups Islamic State and al Qaeda were "enemy number one of Islam" and not in any way part of the faith....

Saudi Arabia labeled Islamic State, al Qaeda, Nusra Front and other groups as "terrorist" in March and imposed long prison terms for offering them public support or giving them moral or material aid.

Early this month King Abdullah made a speech attacking militant groups that used Islamic justifications, and urged Muslim scholars and leaders to fight against them.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/19/saudi-arabia-grand-mufti-islamic-state-enemy_n_5690701.html

There are condemnations by eight other Muslim leaders on the same page.

[cosmicone]

20. Thank you. I stand corrected. n/t

[denem]

21. You're welcome

[Enthusiast]

6. Beheading won't do much for the popularity of the extremists.

[cosmicone]

13. Au contraire ... it only disgusts civilized people n/t

[FrodosPet]

15. Not with us, no

But with their preferred audience of rabid followers, it is highly motivational.

And for everyone else on the planet, they want fear, not love.

[RandiFan1290]

7. Here is a link for all the DUers worked up to a frenzy!

http://todaysmilitary.com/contact-a-recruiter

use it or pass it along to your kids and grand kids.

[7962]

8. How cute. They'd like to slit YOUR throat, too.

[RandiFan1290]

9. oooh scary !

[FrodosPet]

16. For people with common sense, yes, it is!

Warning: Graphic footage produced by the Islamic State

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=efe_1403037495

[7962]

22. You live in Chicago?

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/08/22/ominous-tweet-connects-isis-threat-in-chicago/

We laughed when we heard they wanted to fly planes into buildings too.

[PersonNumber503602]

10. What are your feelings about what IS did to this guy?

[FrodosPet]

18. They will go into a simple "Blame Bush!" mode and ignore 900+ years of history

Bush was a blithering idiot, so now, instead of having the option of one of the first really legitimate uses of force since the 40s, we have to sit back and watch the destruction, or at least the severe wounding, of modern civilization and whatever microscopic chance of being a peaceful and happy and sustainable species by the next century.

[pampango]

11. Because if one cares about the actions of ISIL fundamentalists, one must support a US invasion

of Iraq and Syria?

I don't like the promotion of anti-gay government policies in Uganda and Russia. Does that mean I'm looking for a US invasion of both?