The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) has announced that it has beheaded an American journalist who disappeared in Syria over a year and a half ago, James Foley, and has posted a video on the internet, entitled "Message to America", in whose decapitation can apparently be seen. James Foley, a 40-year-old freelancer from Boston who has done extensive reporting for AFP and numerous other media outlets, was kidnapped in northwestern Syria on November 22, 2012. In the video, the authenticity of which cannot be verified, Foley appears in the desert, on his knees, wearing an orange jumpsuit and with a terrorist, dressed entirely in black and with his face covered, pressing a knife to his throat. Shortly after, Foley's body is seen with his bloodied head resting on his lap.
«We have never been so proud of our son. He gave his life trying to reveal to the world the suffering of the Syrian people »: so Diane Foley, mother of James Foley, «We beg the kidnappers to spare the lives of the other hostages. They are innocent, as was Jim. They have no control over US government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere else in the world,” Diane's Facebook profile reads. “We thank Jim for all the joy he has given us. He was an extraordinary son, brother, journalist and person », says her mother again, who closes her message by asking« please respect our privacy in the coming days, while we mourn for Jim ».
Before the images of the beheading, written in Arabic and English can be read, explaining that this is the first response promised to Barack Obama for the air raids against Isis in recent days. Raids that have brought the United States «on a slippery surface towards a new front of war against Muslims. Any of your attempts, Obama, to deny freedoms and security to Muslims under the Islamic caliphate (the regime imposed by Isis in parts of Iraq and Syria at the end of June, ed) will lead to the slaughter of your people."
Foley himself speaks in the video, addressing his loved ones accusing the US and Obama of being responsible for his death. After the guerrilla at his side cuts off Foley's head with a knife, he warns that a second American is also in their hands. Introduced as Steven Joel Sotloff, Correspondent of Time, missing since August 2013 in Libya, is indicated as the next victim: "It depends on Obama's next decisions." The images are terrible and are already spread on the web but Youtube has removed the video. "US intelligence is working to determine the authenticity of the video posted by ISIS of the beheading of James Foley," said US National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden. If those images were authentic "we would be horrified by the brutal killing of an innocent American journalist".
