Steven Sotloff

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Islamic State 'Beatle' Guilty in Deaths of Americans

El Shafee Elsheikh, convicted on all counts, faces life in prison

(Newser) - A jury convicted a British national Thursday for his role in an Islamic State group hostage-taking scheme that took roughly two dozen Westerners captive a decade ago, resulting in the deaths of four Americans, three of whom were beheaded. The jury deliberated for four hours before finding El Shafee Elsheikh...

ISIS Captive's Letter to Dad Leaves Courtroom in 'Tears'

Peter Kassig, killed in 2014, wrote that his last thought would be of the love of his parents

(Newser) - If Peter Kassig was true to his word, the only thought running through his mind as he was beheaded by Islamic State terrorists was how much his parents loved him. Ed Kassig, the father of the US aid worker who was taken hostage in Syria in 2013 and killed a...

In Case of the ISIS 'Beatles,' a Milestone

El Shafee Elsheikh, Alexanda Kotey are indicted, accused of beheadings, torture of Westerners

(Newser) - The Justice Department unsealed charges Wednesday against two Islamic State militants from Britain, accusing them of carrying out a gruesome campaign of torture, beheadings, and other acts of violence against Western hostages they'd captured in Syria, including four Americans. El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey are two of four...

FBI Testing Possible Remains of ISIS Hostages

Captured 'Beatles' provided info on burial sites

(Newser) - The families of American hostages murdered by ISIS in Syria may finally be able to lay their loved ones to rest. Officials and relatives tells ABC News that human remains in areas of Syria liberated from the group are being tested by the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Va., though it...

Captured ISIS Fighters Might Know Where Mueller's Body Is

They're said to be pointing out grave sites

(Newser) - The capture of two ISIS fighters who may know the whereabouts of Kayla Mueller's body has raised hope that her parents might finally be able to put their daughter to rest. ISIS said the aid worker kidnapped in Syria in 2013 was killed in 2015 when a Jordanian airstrike...

Families of Slain Hostages to Obama: Save Austin Tice

US journalist is being held captive in Syria

(Newser) - American journalist Austin Tice—believed to be the only US reporter held hostage anywhere in the world—was captured in Syria in August 2012. Since then, US hostages James Foley , Peter Kassig , Kayla Mueller , and Steven Sotloff have been killed, and their families fear Tice's parents will soon have...

Report: US Sat on Info About Hostages' Location

Daily Beast says US waited a month to act on British intelligence

(Newser) - A few weeks after the US staged a failed rescue mission last July to retrieve ISIS hostages Kayla Mueller , James Foley , and Steven Sotloff , the Muslim insurgents started sending out a gruesome chain of beheading videos. Now US and UK officials are saying that the hostages had been moved just...

FBI: We've Identified 'Jihadi John'

But FBI Director James Comey isn't making the information public

(Newser) - The US believes it has identified the British-accented masked man in videos related to the beheadings of two American journalists and a British aid worker. But FBI chief James Comey told reporters that he would not reveal the man's name or nationality. Comey did not address whether the US...

White House: We Did Not Threaten Foleys or Sotloffs

'We made clear what the law is,' when families weighed paying ransom

(Newser) - The White House hit back at allegations from the families of James Foley and Steven Sotloff that they were threatened with prosecution as they weighed whether to pay Islamic State militants ransom for their sons. "In terms of what was communicated to the families, in the midst of many,...

ISIS Claims Beheading of British Hostage

Video purports to show execution of David Haines

(Newser) - ISIS appears to have carried out its threat to behead yet another Western hostage, this time a British citizen named David Haines. The executioner who killed Steven Sotloff in the last video had threatened that Haines would be next . Britain's foreign office said it is "working urgently" to...

James Foley's Mom Rips US Over Son's Death

Says government threatened to prosecute if family paid a ransom

(Newser) - James Foley's mother has some blistering words for the US government in how it handled her son's abduction . In an interview with Anderson Cooper that airs tonight on CNN , Diane Foley says she is "embarrassed and appalled" at how American officials acted. Officials threatened family members with...

Sotloffs: Steven Sold to ISIS by Other Rebels

Spokesman says family's relationship with White House is 'very strained'

(Newser) - A family spokesman for the family of Steven Sotloff appeared on Anderson Cooper 360 last night and revealed that the location of the journalist had been sold to ISIS by "so-called moderate rebels," leading to Sotloff's capture, CNN reports. "Somebody at the [Syrian] border crossing made...

Sotloff Hid Jewish Identity From ISIS

Slain journalist fasted in captivity, held US, Israeli citizenship

(Newser) - Like James Foley, who sent a last letter to family , slain journalist Steven Sotloff kept a secret from his Islamic State captors until the very end: He was Jewish, held both US and Israeli citizenship, and purposefully hid the fact from his captors, friends say. "He told them he...

Sotloff Family Rep Challenges ISIS Leader to Debate

Says slain journalist wasn't a 'war junkie' or a hero, just a 'mere man'

(Newser) - The family of Steven Sotloff has broken its silence in the wake of the journalist's execution with a message equal parts tribute and defiance. Sotloff was neither a "war junkie" nor a "hero," says family spokesman Barak Barfi. "He was a mere man who tried...

Biden: We'll Chase ISIS to 'Gates of Hell'

While Hagel reiterates that US will 'degrade and destroy' the group

(Newser) - Joe Biden today said America will follow the terrorists who posted videos showing the beheading of two journalists "to the gates of hell." Speaking at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Biden said the Islamic State militant group responsible for beheading James Foley and Steven Sotloff won't intimidate the...

Sotloff Execution Video Is Real: US

'We will not be intimidated,' Obama says

(Newser) - The US has confirmed the authenticity of an ISIS video featuring journalist Steven Sotloff's beheading , with President Obama asserting that the recent executions only "stiffen our resolve" against the militant group. After intelligence officials analyzed the clip, Obama discussed it today in Estonia, the New York Times reports....

Sotloff Family Grieves After Release of Video

Journalist was aware of Syria dangers, colleagues say

(Newser) - The family of American journalist Steven Sotloff is aware that ISIS has released a video it claims shows his beheading and is "grieving privately," a spokesman says. The State Department says it is "sickened" and is trying to determine whether the video is genuine, reports the AP...

ISIS Claims to Execute US Journalist Sotloff

Video emerges with apparent beheading, threatens British captive next

(Newser) - The captors of American journalist Steven Sotloff appear to have carried out their threat to execute him as they did James Foley , reports the AP . A new video posted online by the Islamic State, or ISIS, claims to show his beheading. A global terrorism monitor, SITE Intelligence Group, says the...

Mother of US Hostage Pleads to Leader of ISIS

'Please release my child,' says Shirley Sotloff

(Newser) - Shirley Sotloff isn't relying on intermediaries to appeal for her son's release from ISIS—she released a video today appealing directly to the group's leader, reports the New York Times . “You, the caliph, can grant amnesty," Sotloff says after addressing her message to Islamic State...

ISIS Holding American Woman, 26

Islamic State demands $7M ransom

(Newser) - The same militants who beheaded James Foley are holding a 26-year-old American woman hostage and demanding $6.6 million for her freedom, reports ABC News . The woman has not been identified at the request of her family and US officials, reports AP . She is identified only as a humanitarian relief...

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