One thing is certain: the Islamic State will continue to advance, and will continue to terrorize Infidels and take hostages, until it is stopped. It is not going to calm down, because it believes itself to be carrying out the dictates of divine law. Its leaders are not going to read the Qur’an and suddenly realize that they overlooked all the moderate bits. The Islamic State is going to keep on going, and keep on growing, until someone has the wherewithal and will to stop it.
“ISIS video claims beheading of Steven Sotloff,” Al Arabiya News, September 2, 2014:
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) released a video on Tuesday purporting to show the beheading of U.S. hostage Steven Sotloff, according to the private terrorism monitoring group SITE.
A masked man in the video also issued a threat against a British hostage, who the group named as David Haines, and warned governments to back off “this evil alliance of America against the Islamic State,” the monitoring service said.
The footage, identified by private terrorism monitor SITE and seen by AFP, shows 31-year-old freelance writer Steven Sotloff dressed in orange and on his knees in a desert landscape.
The masked militant condemns U.S. attacks on the ISIS and cuts Sotloff’s throat. He then introduces a second captive, identified by name and said to be British.
“I’m back, Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State,” the militant says, in apparent reference to a previous video in which U.S. journalist James Foley was murdered.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said he had not been aware of the report before taking the podium at his daily briefing, but added that the administration’s “thoughts and prayers” were with Sotloff’s family.
“The United States, as you know, has dedicated significant time and resources to trying to rescue Mr Sotloff. I’m not in a position to confirm the authenticity of that video or the reports at this point obviously since I just walked out here but it appears the video that has been released is something that will be analysed very carefully by the U.S. government and our intelligence officials to determine its authenticity,” Earnest told reporters.
U.S. state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki says that if the video is genuine, “we are sickened.”
British Prime Minister David Cameron condemned the purported beheading of the U.S. journalist as “absolutely disgusting, despicable act.”
Psaki said it’s believed that “a few” Americans are believed to still be held by the Islamic State but would not give any specifics, according to Associated Press.
Barak Barfi, a spokesman for the Sotloff family, confirmed the death.
“The family knows of this horrific tragedy and is grieving privately. There will be no public comment from the family during this difficult time,” Barfi said….