Islamic State releases video of journalist Steven Sotloff's beheading

American journalist Steven Sotloff (Center with black helmet) talks to Libyan rebels on the Al Dafniya front line, 25 km west of Misrata on June 02, 2011 in Misrata, Libya.  Sotloff was kidnapped in August 2013 near Aleppo, Syria. Photo by Etienne de Malglaive.


American journalist Steven Sotloff (Center with black helmet) talks to Libyan rebels on the Al Dafniya front line, 25 km west of Misrata on June 02, 2011 in Misrata, Libya. Sotloff was kidnapped in August 2013 near Aleppo, Syria. Photo by Etienne de Malglaive.

The Islamic State militant group today released a video online that appears to show the beheading of American freelance journalist Steven Sotloff.

The reporter was abducted in Syria one year ago, and is the second US reporter to have been murdered by ISIS/ISIL. The group posted a video online of James Foley's beheading on August 19, and vowed to do the same to Sotloff in response to U.S. military intervention in Iraq. US officials have not yet confirmed that the video shows what it purports to show.

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the killing. "Journalists know that covering war is inherently dangerous and that they could get killed in crossfire. But being butchered in front of camera simply for being a reporter is pure barbarism," Executive Director Joel Simon said. "We condemn in the strongest terms possible the murder of journalist Steven Sotloff. He, like James Foley, went to Syria to tell a story. They were civilians, not representatives of any government. Their murders are war crimes and those who committed them must be brought to justice swiftly."

As with other videos of its type, we don't recommend you watch it, and it is not linked to in this blog post.

Undated photo shows journalist Steven Sotloff at the Great Sphinx, in Egypt. From Facebook.


Undated photo shows journalist Steven Sotloff at the Great Sphinx, in Egypt. From Facebook.

HT: Andy Carvin