Islamic State Terrorist Who Beheaded US Journalist Is British, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond Says

Mr Hammond said the video showing the apparent execution of Mr Foley by a masked man with a British accent looks ‘genuine’.
He said the brutal Islamic State clip of Mr Foley, who went missing in Syria two years ago, was ‘an appalling example of the brutality of this organisation’.

In the video Mr Foley is seen kneeling in a desert-like environment at an unknown location as an IS fighter stands by his side dressed in black and with his face covered.
Mr Hammond said the video had not been verified but ‘all the hallmarks point to it being genuine’.
The Foreign Secretary said his reaction to the clip was ‘horror, absolutely horror at what appears to be a brutal execution’. He added: ‘On the face of it, it appears to be a British person.’
Mr Hammond said: ‘certainly at first pass that's what it looks like and we will obviously want to investigate that further.


‘We have been saying for a long time that there are a significant number of British nationals in Syria and Iraq operating with extremist organisations.

‘That's one of the reasons why this organisation represents such a direct threat to the UK's national security.

‘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.’
Mr Hammond said the intelligence agencies were tracking and monitoring Britons who could be involved with extremist groups in Syria and Iraq.
He acknowledged that ‘significant numbers’ of British nationals had been involved in ‘terrible crimes’ and ‘probably in the commission of atrocities’.

He said: ‘We are very much aware of the threat from foreign nationals operating in Syria and Iraq, that's not just to the UK it's to all Western countries and other Arab countries as well.

‘This is a poison, a cancer, what's going on in Iraq and Syria and it risks spreading to other parts of the international community and affecting us all directly.’

He added: ‘this may come as news to some people but it certainly does not come as news to us.

‘We are absolutely aware that there are significant numbers of British nationals involved in terrible crimes, probably in the commission of atrocities, making jihad with IS and other extremist organisations.

‘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 and which we have been working on for many months.’

The video of the beheading is being investigated by the Obama administration.

The victim, wearing an orange outfit, makes a statement during the five-minute video entitled ‘A message to America’ released by the Islamic State Al-Furqan foundation.

During the speech he said he wanted to call on family, friends and loved ones to ‘rise up against my real killers, the US government’.He added: ‘For what will happen to me is only the result of their complacency and criminality’.

The statement, during which he is seen to pause and take deep breaths, ended with him saying he wished he could see his family again. The IS fighter standing next to him is then seen brandishing a knife before accusing America of ‘aggression towards the Islamic state’.

He said: ‘you have plotted against us and gone far out of your way to find reasons to interfere in our affairs.

In a chilling threat in which he singles out President Barack Obama, he says further actions in Iraq by America ‘will result in the bloodshed of your people’.

After the victim is apparently beheaded, another man, said to be journalist Steven Joel Sotloff, who went missing near the border of Syria and Turkey last year, is shown at the end of the video, with the IS fighter saying his life depends on President Obama's ‘next decision’.

A message posted on a Facebook page called ‘Free James Foley’ last night read: ‘We know that many of you are looking for confirmation or answers.

Please be patient until we all have more information, and keep the Foleys in your thoughts and prayers.’

Mr Foley's mother Diane released a statement saying the family ‘have never been prouder’ of him, and pleading with the kidnappers not to kill any other hostages.

‘We have never been prouder of our son Jim. He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people.

‘We implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages.

Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world.

‘We thank Jim for all the joy he gave us. He was an extraordinary son, brother, journalist and person. Please respect our privacy in the days ahead as we mourn and cherish Jim.’

AIT News