Second Journalist beheaded by ISIS

[donnie]

The Guardian is reporting that Steven Sotloff, the other US journalist held alongside James Foley, has been beheaded and the footage uploaded to the net.
I am in complete despair at the horrors perpetrated by these fanatics. I am aghast at the dreadful, murderous hatred fuelling these people.

on BBC now as well

Money fuelling them too, apparently lots of them are boasting how rich they are becoming.

Just seen this on twitter, horrific, i really cannot comprehend the hatred.
:(

BBC article here

The video has yet to be analysed and verified, but sadly the whole scenario is too familiar for it to be that likely to be a fake.

Oh no.

I'm starting to wonder about the ethics of the coverage. They do it for coverage. Could a news blackout ever work or be fair on the families though?

Similar to the ransom argument, I suppose.

Utterly terrifying and so so devastating. I cannot stand to think about where this will lead.

:(

Rip.. poor man and family. Thinking of them, really horrific.

I've just seen this on the news. Horrific, scary and depressing.

So horrible....just seen this. And they have a British hostage who's "next". Can't stop thinking about it. Apparently he has a little girl :-( there are no words to describe isis.

It's beyond evil thaose poor men and families. I cannot believe how brave they appear. When is this going to stop surely something has to be done

It is utterly horrific, really abominable and unimaginable that someone can bring himself to do it. But what keeps going round in my head is - is it worse - and if so why - than killing someone - civilian or conscripted military - by shelling them with a pilotless plane....? Same result, isn't it?

BBC link if this still works with the new mobile site.

"It is utterly horrific, really abominable and unimaginable that someone can bring himself to do it. But what keeps going round in my head is - is it worse - and if so why - than killing someone - civilian or conscripted military - by shelling them with a pilotless plane....? Same result, isn't it?"

Had this conversation with my husband today. I think it is the personal barbarity (is that even a word) of the act. The intent is to inflict as much fear and pain as possible. They could shoot them in the head - same result in a dead person, but that just doesn't seem enough. But yes, there is something really unpleasant about a number of civilians (often women and children) just being able to be wiped out very cleanly, almost in a civilised way with the flick of a switch by someone hundreds of miles away. You don't even know how many, who and how they died. Should the killing be so clean and easy? Maybe if you are going to kill someone. - you should get your hands dirty, bloody. I do find it all a bit hypocritical and detached.

But surely military action is needed to stop Isis. Where there is war there will always be innocent casualties which is why it isn't taken lightly. But the way they have tortured their prisoners for years as if they enemies in war, paraded them on TV and then publicly be hedging them for all to see their families included. Look what they are doing to their own people, women and children if they do not conform. This is awful.

Of course it is awful....but these are people who were once funded by the West in another power game. War just perpetuates the cycle....makes more martyrs, makes big profit for arms dealers. On and on it goes. And there are many civilian casualties of war.

Very said to hear that David Haynes has now been murdered, with another British hostage shown on video. Rip David and prayers for his family at this time.

ISIS, Hamas, al qaeda and all their offspring terrorist groups. They all need wiping out asap or we really will be living under Sharia law. Terrifying :(

I have just heard that British aid worker hostage David Haynes has been murdered by ISIS or ISIL or whatever they wish to call themselves. This is a barbaric act by a savage evil group that are becoming as sinister and threatening as Hitler and the Nazis.

All nations including genuine Islamic nations that agree this dark evil cancer must be stopped, must come together as one to fight and end this horrific movement.

My heart goes out to the families of David Haynes and the other murdered hostages and anyone else suffering under this disgusting group. I pray for you all.

I am sure all genuine religious and other groups with civilised and decent values such as Christians, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Budhists and others will be appauled at what ISIS is doing and will want an end to this evil acting under the pretence of Islam.

David was taken hostage at the same time as an Italian national. The other guy was freed because Italy paid the ransom. Am I alone in thinking that until there's a proven and better plan, ransoms should just be paid?

My uncle was taken hostage in Nigeria about 10 years ago. After 10/12 days his ransom was paid. He was released. No hoo-ha was made in the press. While he was hostage he had guns held to his head and was told he would die. The government told us he was being treated well.

I'll also use this post to register my disgust at sky for playing audio from the film uploaded by the terrorists and the papers for printing pixelated pictures of David just before he died. We all know what happened, we don't need the visuals/audio, it just gives the terrorists the oxygen of publicity.

Scotland, it would depend on why ISIL are taking hostages now. If they are doing it to make money, then paying the ransom is a good idea, however, it appears they have huge funds already.

If they are doing it to stage horrendous acts of barbarity such as beheading their hostages on camera in order to prove how ruthless they are, then paying ransoms wouldn't help.

I'm glad your uncle was returned safe after paying the ransom, and I'm sorry he was treated so badly.

It was a different group who took my uncle, to be fair.

I just think that the British and American governments shouldn't dismiss paying ransoms until they've thought of a better solution. As far as I can see, David was always going to be killed.

I agree. Italy, while part of the ISAF group in Afghanistan, wasn't seen as a major player, which might explain why ISIL would have released him after his ransom was paid. I wonder of that would be true for US and UK hostages?

I think the government is right not to pay ransoms. You just encourage the taking of other hostages, you give the terrorists ore funds to terrorise the poor civilians they come across - you let the terrorists see you as weak and they see it as a victory. If it was one of my family I would feel differently as it is personal but on the bigger picture, I can understand the governments decision.

That might sound cold but I have every sympathy for David Haynes and his family and friends.