US journalist James Foley beheaded by British jihadist in gruesome video warning

A militant with a British accent said in the video that the move was in retaliation against US airstrikes in northern Iraq.

16:57 20 August 2014

Islamic State militants have released a five-minute propaganda video that purportedly shows the beheading of US journalist James Foley, 40,  who went missing two years ago. The footage shows a masked man with a British accent saying that Mr Foley was being killed because Barack Obama had ordered airstrikes against IS positions in northern Iraq. 

 

The journalist was seen in the video wearing a prison-style orange jumpsuit kneeling in the desert.

 

The victim blamed the US for his death, in a statement presumably prepared by his abductors. Prior to being beheaded, he said: "I wish I had more time, I wish I could have the hope of freedom and seeing my family once again, but that ship has sailed." 

 

The group then showed another American journalist, Steven Sotloff, and said that his life depended on the US President’s next move. 

 

Mr Foley was an experienced correspondent who covered the war in Libya before heading to Syria to cover the revolt against Bashar al Assad. According to sources, he was abducted in the northern Syrian province of Idlib on November 22, 2012.