US reporter 'beheaded by IS militants'

An internet video has been released purporting to show the beheading of US reporter Steven Sotloff by the Islamic State group.

US reporter 'beheaded by IS militants'

An internet video has been released purporting to show the beheading of US journalist Steven Sotloff by the Islamic State group.

Mr Sotloff, who freelanced for Time and Foreign Policy magazines, had last been seen in Syria in August 2013 until he appeared in a video released online last month by the IS group that showed the beheading of fellow American journalist James Foley.

Dressed in an orange jumpsuit against the backdrop of an arid Syrian landscape, Mr Sotloff was threatened in that video with death unless the US stopped air strikes on the group in Iraq.

In the video distributed today and entitled “A Second Message to America,” Mr Sotloff appears in a similar jumpsuit before he is beheaded by an Islamic State fighter.

The Associated Press could not immediately verify the video's authenticity. The SITE Intelligence Group, a US terrorism watchdog, first reported about the video's existence.

The fighter who beheads Mr Sotloff in the video called it retribution for Mr Obama’s continued air strikes against the group in Iraq.

“I’m back, Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State ... despite our serious warnings,” the fighter said.

At the end of the video, he threatened to kill a third captive.

Mr Sotloff’s mother had pleaded for his release last week in a video directed at the Islamic State group.

Addressing the leader of the Islamic State group by name, Shirley Sotloff said in a video her son was “an innocent journalist” who shouldn’t pay for US government actions in the Middle East over which he has no control.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said he wasn’t immediately aware of the purported Sotloff video and wasn’t in a position to confirm its authenticity.

“This is something that the administration has obviously been watching very carefully,” Mr Earnest said.

“Our thoughts and prayers first and foremost are with Mr Sotloff and Mr Sotloff’s family and those who worked with him.”

Unlike Mr Foley's beheading, which was widely shared on Twitter accounts affiliated with the Islamic State group, the video purporting to show Mr Sotloff's killing was not immediately posted online, though several jihadi websites told users to expect it today.

The fighter who beheads Mr Sotloff says: “I’m back, Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State ... despite our serious warnings,” the fighter said. “So just as your missiles continue to strike our people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people.”

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