http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/stephen-sotloff-isis-beheading-video-4155148
Stephen Sotloff ISIS beheading video: Jihadi John's ''I'm back'' taunt to Barack Obama before execution
Sep 02, 2014 22:50
By Christopher Bucktin
The terrorist, who spoke with a London accent, paraded what is thought to be a British hostage as he threatened to commit more murders unless world leaders bowed to IS demands
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Atrocity: Steven appears calm before he is executed
Horrific footage was released by the Islamic State today of a crazed British fanatic carrying out another atrocity in the attempt to bully Western leaders.
The video shows US journalist Steven Sotloff being beheaded by a thug dubbed Jihadi John.
As he paraded another hostage – a man who is believed to be British – the thug threatened to commit more murders unless world leaders bowed to the demands of the Islamist terror group.
Before executing Steven, Jihadi John taunted the US President by saying: “I am back, Obama.”
Follow the latest updates on the execution of Steven Sotloff here
It comes two weeks after film footage was released showing the IS maniac beheading another American journalist, James Foley.
On learning of the latest beheading, David Cameron said: “I’ve just seen the news. It’s an absolutely disgusting and despicable act.”
He added he would chair a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergency committee this morning.
In the newly-released video – called A Second Message to America – the masked executioner speaking with a London accent rants:
“I’m back, Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State, because of your insistence on continuing your bombings... despite our serious warnings.
“So, just as your missiles continue to strike our people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people.”
U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff VIEW GALLERY
Before his execution Steven calmly read out a statement directed at the President.
He said: “Obama, your foreign policy of intervention in Iraq was supposed to be for the preservation of American lives and interests, so why is it that I am paying the price of your interference with my life?
"Am I not an American citizen?”
As he talks, his masked killer stands to his left dressed head-to-toe in black and holding a knife to his side.
At the end of the footage, the militants hold up the captive that IS claims to be British.
The video carries a caption apparently showing the man’s name, but the Daily Mirror has decided not to publish it.
Steven, 31, appears in the video apparently in the same jumpsuit he wore when he was shown to the world during the footage of James, 40, being killed.
It has led to suggestions that the murders happened on the same day.
But in the latest video, Steven appeared to make a direct reference to the recent bombings in Amerli, which would seem to show that his execution was carried out in the past week.
A spokesman for the Sotloffs said they “know of this horrific tragedy and are grieving privately”.
The video was released days after his mum, Shirley Sotloff, made an impassioned appeal to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Shirley told the captors she had learnt a lot about Islam since her son was taken hostage in Syria a year ago, and she agreed with the religion that “no individual should be punished for events he cannot control”.
Addressing al-Baghdadi, she said: “Steven is a journalist who travelled to the Middle East to cover the suffering of Muslims at the hands of tyrants.
“Steven is a loyal and generous son, brother and grandson. He is an honourable man and has always tried to help the weak.”
She added he had no control over what the US government does, so should not be held responsible for its actions.
The mum said: “He’s an innocent journalist. I ask you to please release my child.”
Steven, who had described himself as a “stand-up philosopher”, disappeared while reporting near Aleppo after crossing the Syrian border from Turkey in August 2013.
Two weeks ago, during the footage showing the killing of James, Jihadi John warned Mr Obama to put an end to US air strikes against IS strongholds in Iraq.
At the end of the five minute film, the thugs showed Steven while the executioner warned: “The life of this American citizen, Obama, depends on your next decision.”
Today, America carried out further assaults on IS strongholds in the north of Iraq.
It is understood the extremists currently hold around 20 Western hostages.
Before James was executed, the militants demanded £80million for his release.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest tonight said: “Our thoughts and prayers, first and foremost, are with Mr Sotloff and Mr Sotloff’s family and those who worked with him.
“The United States has dedicated significant time and resources to try and rescue Mr Sotloff.”
A friend of Steven’s tonight hit out at the UK and US governments. He said they needed to start negotiating to prevent further bloodshed.
American film-maker Matthew Van Dyke said Western powers had an “opportunity to rescue” his pal but “took too long”.
He added: “This should never have happened.”
Labour leader Ed Miliband said: “The killing [by IS] of another hostage and the threat of more violence demonstrates again their murderous barbarism.
"Their cold-blooded brutality against the innocent offends the values of people throughout the world, wherever they live.”
A senior Tory MP has claimed Mr Cameron is deliberately using the Middle East crisis to appear more statesmanlike than Mr Miliband.
And a former Conservative minister said No 10 has been trying to make it “look like the Prime Minister is in control”.
On Monday the PM said he wanted powers to prevent any British jihadi who posed a threat to the UK from re-entering the country.
But Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Government anti-terror measures were now in “utter confusion”.
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