Jihadists sent chilling email to Foley family before execution



Jihadists sent chilling email to Foley family before execution

BOSTON, Massachusetts - In a chilling email sent to the family of American journalist James Foley days before his execution, the Islamic State militant group warns citizens of the United States that they will have "to pay the price of your bombings".

The email blames the United States for the killing of the photo journalist who was decapitated by Islamic State militants, two years after he went missing in Syria.

The video of the journalist being beheaded was posted online Aug 19. But the YouTube removed the graphic video quickly.

Days before the execution, his parents received an email on Aug 12 from their son's captors, stating that their son would be "executed".

The Foley family, GlobalPost, government authorities and private security consultants had been investigating Foley's whereabouts and attempting to secure his release since he was kidnapped on Thanksgiving Day nearly two years ago.

The email titled "how long will the sheep follow the blind Sheppard (shepherd)" is a "message to the American government and their sheep like citizens".

"We have left you alone since your disgraceful defeat in Iraq. We did not interfere in your country or attack your citizens while they were safe in their homes despite our capability to do so."

It said that the US was given many chances "to negotiate the release of your people via cash transactions as other governments have accepted".

"We have also offered prisoner exchanges to free the Muslims currently in your detention like our sister Afia Sidiqqi. However, you proved very quickly to us that this is NOT what you are interested in."

It said that the US and its government have "no motivation to deal with the Muslims except with the language of force, a language you were given in "Arabic translation" when you attempted to occupy the land of Iraq."

"Today our swords are unsheathed towards you, government and citizens alike. And we will not stop until we quench our thirst for your blood," the email said.

"You do not spare our weak, elderly, women or children so we will NOT spare yours. You and your citizens will pay the price of your bombings. The first being the blood of American citizen, James Foley."

Foley's father, John, told NBC's Friday that he was "excited to see an email despite the conclusion."

"I did not realize how brutal they were, and I actually hoped we could engage in negotiations with them if they were willing to send any sort of communication because we had none prior," he said.

Foley, 40, was freelancing for GlobalPost when he was apparently abducted.

The GlobalPost said the militants demanded about $132 million and a prisoner swap. The US, however, considers these payments illegal funding of terrorist organizations.

James Foley's brother said Friday morning that the U.S. government could have done more to seek the release of his brother and other American hostages from the Islamic militant group ISIL.

"There's more that could have been done directly on Jim's behalf," Michael Foley, 38, told Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric in an exclusive interview near his parents' home in Dover, New Hampshire. "I really, really hope that Jim's death pushes us to take another look at our approach to terrorists and hostage negotiation."

The group had also captured French and Spanish journalists, but freed them after their governments paid ransoms through intermediaries.

The U.S. government refused to negotiate or pay the group on behalf of Foley and other Americans captives. ISIL emailed Michael Foley and demanded 100 million euro a sum he called "ridiculous" for his brother's release, said Yahoo News.

"I just feel strongly that more can be done moving forward," Michael Foley said.

His family believes that Foley volunteered to be the first American to be executed. "You can see from the clips from the video that he wasn't afraid," Michael Foley said.

European journalists who were captured by ISIL but later freed told Foley's family that the journalist made a makeshift board game out of objects they found and even taught his fellow captives Spanish as a way to keep hope alive.

The U.S. government says they will hunt down and punish Foley's killers.

"We will be relentless," President Barack Obama said this week. "When people harm Americans anywhere we do what's necessary to see that justice is done."

Foley's friends have set up a scholarship fund in his name at Marquette University, where he graduated in 1996, for disadvantaged students.

Jihadists sent chilling email to Foley family before execution

Jihadists sent chilling email to Foley family before execution

Big News Network.com
23rd August 2014, 11:17 GMT+10

BOSTON, Massachusetts - In a chilling email sent to the family of American journalist James Foley days before his execution, the Islamic State militant group warns citizens of the United States that they will have "to pay the price of your bombings".

The email blames the United States for the killing of the photo journalist who was decapitated by Islamic State militants, two years after he went missing in Syria.

The video of the journalist being beheaded was posted online Aug 19. But the YouTube removed the graphic video quickly.

Days before the execution, his parents received an email on Aug 12 from their son's captors, stating that their son would be "executed".

The Foley family, GlobalPost, government authorities and private security consultants had been investigating Foley's whereabouts and attempting to secure his release since he was kidnapped on Thanksgiving Day nearly two years ago.

The email titled "how long will the sheep follow the blind Sheppard (shepherd)" is a "message to the American government and their sheep like citizens".

"We have left you alone since your disgraceful defeat in Iraq. We did not interfere in your country or attack your citizens while they were safe in their homes despite our capability to do so."

It said that the US was given many chances "to negotiate the release of your people via cash transactions as other governments have accepted".

"We have also offered prisoner exchanges to free the Muslims currently in your detention like our sister Afia Sidiqqi. However, you proved very quickly to us that this is NOT what you are interested in."

It said that the US and its government have "no motivation to deal with the Muslims except with the language of force, a language you were given in "Arabic translation" when you attempted to occupy the land of Iraq."

"Today our swords are unsheathed towards you, government and citizens alike. And we will not stop until we quench our thirst for your blood," the email said.

"You do not spare our weak, elderly, women or children so we will NOT spare yours. You and your citizens will pay the price of your bombings. The first being the blood of American citizen, James Foley."

Foley's father, John, told NBC's Friday that he was "excited to see an email despite the conclusion."

"I did not realize how brutal they were, and I actually hoped we could engage in negotiations with them if they were willing to send any sort of communication because we had none prior," he said.

Foley, 40, was freelancing for GlobalPost when he was apparently abducted.

The GlobalPost said the militants demanded about $132 million and a prisoner swap. The US, however, considers these payments illegal funding of terrorist organizations.

James Foley's brother said Friday morning that the U.S. government could have done more to seek the release of his brother and other American hostages from the Islamic militant group ISIL.

"There's more that could have been done directly on Jim's behalf," Michael Foley, 38, told Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric in an exclusive interview near his parents' home in Dover, New Hampshire. "I really, really hope that Jim's death pushes us to take another look at our approach to terrorists and hostage negotiation."

The group had also captured French and Spanish journalists, but freed them after their governments paid ransoms through intermediaries.

The U.S. government refused to negotiate or pay the group on behalf of Foley and other Americans captives. ISIL emailed Michael Foley and demanded 100 million euro a sum he called "ridiculous" for his brother's release, said Yahoo News.

"I just feel strongly that more can be done moving forward," Michael Foley said.

His family believes that Foley volunteered to be the first American to be executed. "You can see from the clips from the video that he wasn't afraid," Michael Foley said.

European journalists who were captured by ISIL but later freed told Foley's family that the journalist made a makeshift board game out of objects they found and even taught his fellow captives Spanish as a way to keep hope alive.

The U.S. government says they will hunt down and punish Foley's killers.

"We will be relentless," President Barack Obama said this week. "When people harm Americans anywhere we do what's necessary to see that justice is done."

Foley's friends have set up a scholarship fund in his name at Marquette University, where he graduated in 1996, for disadvantaged students.