The terrorist group ISIS has allegedly beheaded American journalist James Wright Foley on video in Iraq in order to send a message to the United States. I'm not going to dignify the terrorists by posting the video here, you can look it up on your own if you'd like. A warning, extremely violent and difficult to watch.
Do not watch the video. Honor James Foley's memory. He was a good damn reporter. The world is less good without him.
— Jeb Boone (@JebBoone) August 19, 2014Wright's fellow journalist Ihan Tanir gave some background on the situation on Twitter.
I was w/ James Foley in Aleppo, August 2012 for a day in
#Selahaddin.
Syrian opposition members were adoring him.
He was a kind, brave man
— ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint)
August 19, 2014
James Foley and another freelancer were the last foreign journos left in near Aleppo city as Assad regime were taking over, August 2012. ++
— ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint)
August 19, 2014
When I was looking for cover from Syrian regime’s jets, he was running w his camera to capture jets' diving.
Brave
#jamesfoley
#RIP
— ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint)
August 19, 2014
They were last 2 foreign journos left. Rebels w/me went there to rescue these 2, then ventured to Selahaddin neighborhood, Aleppo that day
— ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint)
August 19, 2014
More from Noah Rothman:
The American photojournalist James Wright Foley was working for Agence France Presse when he was captured crossing the Syria-Turkish border in 2012. The American war reporter had previously been held for six weeks by pro-Gaddafi forces in Libya while covering that conflict. Some believed that his capture would be similarly short-lived. Tragically, that would not be the case.
“On November 22, 2012, James Wright Foley, a freelance photo journalist, was taken by an organized gang after departing from an internet café in Binesh, Syria,” the FBI noted in November, 2012. “Foley had employed a translator to help him travel across the Syrian-Turkish border. The translator was also taken, but later released.”
Swift justice is in order. Immediately. May his family find peace in this extremely difficult time.
Meanwhile the JV terror team, I mean ISIS, is threatening to kill American journalist Steven Sotloff next.
IS: "The life of this American citizen, Obama, depends on your next decision" pic.twitter.com/tFZyBGN9YN
— Michael van Poppel (@mpoppel) August 19, 2014
By the way, where is President Obama right now? On Air Force One headed back to vacation.