James Foley, 40, do not flinch. He kneels in the desert with their hands tied behind their backs. His usual ostyrliga hair is shaved and clothes exchanged for orange prison clothes.
He has just spoken to her family and friends, said that they have to turn to “his real killer” – the American state, and urged his brother who served in the American air fleet to reflect on who they really killer.
By all accounts, he reads before to from a script. A script written by his captors, the Islamic militant jihadistorganisationen State IS.
Beside stands a man, masked and dressed entirely in black. In his hand he has a knife. What happens next is so terrible that it is unbearable. At the end of the film is James Foley on belly in the sand with his own head on his back.
American intelligence immediately put their best techniques to investigate whether the film is genuine. But his family already know, they do not have official confirmation from the White House.
A week earlier, they have received a final e-mail message from the kidnappers.
James Foley grew up in Rochester, New Hampshire, with four siblings. He worked as a teacher before he trained as a journalist at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. He was a popular teacher, such as students came to the event, and thanked him for everything he taught them. Not necessarily school knowledge, but if that was all about life.
But it was the world that attracted. Or really the people, those who lacked their own voice. The oppressed people, the displaced, those without hope for the future, those who are the victims of the wars in Syria, Iraq or Libya. After graduating in journalism training in 2008, he traveled as a reporter embedded with American soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2011 he was in Libya to report on what was to be Gaddafi’s case.
It was also in Libya Foley learned that his work was to the death.
James Foley was captured by Khadaffitrogna forces and had to watch his shot injured colleague Anton Hammerl left to die. Foley was released seven weeks later, but was forever changed. He could not stop thinking of his colleague, he fought for that he would be vindicated and that his death would be investigated. He thought too much of her own safety and told in interviews that he always considered the risks.
– I still want to be a war correspondent, but I understand that this is about life and death. The thing that was tough to take in after Anton died is that it could have been anyone of us, he told the Boston Post.
After that, he stayed home for a while.
James Foley’s brother Michael Foley can not help but laugh when he explains to CNN’s Anderson Cooper how it was to suddenly have its world correspondent to the brother at home in Boston – and how overjoyed his children were.
– My two boys looked really, really up to Uncle Jim, “the funny uncle with no rules.”
But there was no long-term stay. James Foley was unhappy and longed to return to the world.
Tuesday, August 12. It is James Foley’s father who discovers the new mail. The first feeling is relief. And new hope. Maybe it’s finally time to get home Jim. It has been almost two years since he disappeared on Thanksgiving in November 2012, the main American family feast of them all.
James Foley was in northern Syria, not far from the border with Turkey on behalf of the news agency Global Post. His close friend and colleague Nicole Tung would have met him that day, but he never showed up.
First, it was dead silent. One year later, the first e-mail. The kidnappers who held James Foley prisoner planned to use him for blackmail purposes against the United States. But they were prepared to release him – for € 100 million, almost a billion. Another option was to switch him to a suitable prisoner in the United States.
But the United States was not interested in such a solution. The policy is not to negotiate with terrorists, contrary to what recently happened when the American soldier, Bowe Bergdahl was changed to five foreign prisoners.
The family writes several emails back. They try to explain that James Foley is an independent, freelance journalist and that he was not in any way with the American government’s decision to make.
They beg for mercy. They tell personal things about her son Jim and his commitment to the people of Syria. They started a Facebook group called “Free James Foley,” they set up in TV interviews – and they weigh every word so as not to jeopardize the newly created contact.
In retrospect, says his father John that they misjudged the ferocity .
Several times described the process as it went forward. That’s why he gets so relieved when the last e-mail comes after having been quiet since December.
In the email it says straight out that their son is now going to be executed, and that it is a direct consequence of the United States bombing in Iraq.
– You did not spare our frail, elderly, women and children, so we will not spare yours! You and your citizens will pay the price.
The kidnappers also writes that the United States had their chances, but refused to negotiate as several other European countries have done.
– He will be executed as a direct result of infringements against us
Eight days later, Wednesday August 20, the film adds up on Youtube. The family sees it. Images that will forever be etched. James Foley’s dad tells afterwards how he is haunted by the thought of how his son was tormented. He can not stop thinking about how much pain you really have time to feel.
At the same time, in some strange way, the film gives the family strength. There’s something about his eyes. “He has the courage left,” as his brother Michael Foley tells CNN.
– He does not flinch. I’m sure that he chose to be the first (before his fellow prisoners) and that he wanted us to be strong. That’s the message he sends to us.
James Foley stood near his family. When he was captured in Libya in 2011 was the mother he thought most. In the interview with the Boston Globe, he explains that he appealed to the kidnappers to let him call home.
– Everything you want is to tell Mom that you’re okay. Maybe she thought I was dead, he said.
On Wednesday, just hours after the movie has been published, it is she who confirms the news on the Facebook page “Free James Foley.”
Diane Foley writes that she “never been prouder of his son.” She gives thanks for all the joy he has given them, and describes him as an amazing son, brother, journalist and human.
– He gave his life to show the suffering of the people of Syria.
The day after President Obama cancel his vacation and receive a large press corps on Martha’s Vineyard. He says he just talked to Foley family on the phone, that he is “devastated” and that the whole world is aghast.
He also takes this opportunity to once again explain the USA’s ongoing attacks in Iraq . He talks about genocide and about the Islamic state as an organization “that does not belong in the 2000s” and that must be stopped.
– Let’s be clear: the Islamic government kills innocent, kidnap women and children, use torture, rape and makes people into slaves.
And he is clear: it will never be possible to stop the United States policy using threats. The bombing of Iraq will continue, which he also proves the following days with several new attacks.
The president also promises that the United States will continue to do everything possible to protect its citizens.
– We will be proactive and be relentless.
What he does not mention is that the demand for ransom or emails that Foley’s family received. He says nothing about the failed rescue attempt of James Foley as the United States did as recently as July.
But the criticism most will be about the next few weeks is what he does immediately after the press conference – go straight back out on the golf course.
Islamic state n (formerly the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and then shortened Isis), is a militant jihadistorganisation contrary to the governments of Iraq and Syria. The group’s terror stamped by the United States and proclaimed in June a caliphate, a state with extremely strict interpretations of Islamic law.
has previously been spoken of approximately 15,000 combatant members, but in recent years the number of grown rapidly. According to the Syrian Human Rights Observatory to be 6,000 new members have been recruited in Syria only in July. Christians and other minorities, many of them Muslim, have been persecuted, tortured and murdered. According to the UN, the situation in northern Iraq is now so serious that you talk about genocide.
When the United States Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel spoke in the week he termed ICE as an organization “beyond terrorism” and more dangerous than “anything else we have seen so far.” Well-equipped, well-trained, better-funded than, say, Al Qaeda.
The film showing the beheading judged rather as a way to further put IS on the map and attract more extremists than a sincere attempt to persuade the United States to stop their attacks.
It takes four minutes after Obama finished his press conference, and he’s back on the golf course. He’s out for four hours along with former NBA star Alonzo Mourning, they laugh and high-fivear after successful kind.
The criticism afterwards is massive. Obama’s political opponents do not think he is taking the situation seriously and that the message becomes twice, especially after Chuck Hagel tough pronounced. Meanwhile, the information that the United States failed a rescue attempt in July, but since then remained low, and that it refused to negotiate the ransom. When a French journalist says he was imprisoned along with James Foley, but was released along with several other European journalists after their governments paid, it is possible for the first time for many Americans that the United States could have done more.
James Foley’s family does not know what is right, to pay or not pay. But they are disappointed that the Western countries can not be consistent, and that the U.S. policy could put Americans in greater danger.
– As you can probably imagine how it felt to get information to journalists been released when we have built these walls, says father John Foley told CNN.
America’s role in Iraq from the beginning, and the ongoing air assault, however, is discussed relatively little. Neither the family takes up this aspect, even though it was the alleged motive behind the murder of their son. On the contrary, the United States must now move forward says John Foley told CNN when he talks about the cruelty that IS shown by the execution:
– Our government, other countries … How long will we tolerate this?
Decapitated. The horrific video on Youtube showing how the American journalist James Foley beheaded by a masked man. Foley’s brother, Michael, sees the film as a message. “He wanted us to be strong,” he says.
The parents’ grief. James Foley’s parents Joch and Diane Foley meets the press. “He gave his life to show the suffering of the people of Syria,” said Diane after news of his death .. Photo: Jim Cole / AP
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