Islamic State releases video showing beheading of U.S. hostage Peter Kassig
For a larger view click on the image. Photo courtesy of Terror Trends Bulletin.
The video is here. Warning: it is extremely graphic, and will not be up long. If you catch it while it is still up and want to skip the beheadings (there are many, not just of Kassig, then stop watching around the 9:30 mark, as the beheadings are shown in full, and then Kassig’s severed head at the feet of the British Muslim who issues the final warning. I put the link here because the video shows the Islamic State’s global aspirations, and how it justifies them by reference to Islamic teachings, and indeed how the Islamic State jihadis explain and justify everything they do by reference to Islamic texts and teachings — for example, the beheader says that Kassig fought against the Muslims as a U.S. soldier in Iraq, which means he is an “American Crusader” and can be lawfully put to death, despite his subsequent conversion to Islam.
To continue to ignore the Islamic State’s stated motives and goals, and to pretend that they are other than what they are, is nothing short of suicidal. This ideology has to be confronted, and it is held by more people than just the members of the Islamic State.
“US army veteran Peter Kassig ‘murdered by Isil,’” by Andrew Marszal, Rob Crilly and Louisa Loveluck, the Telegraph, November 16, 2014:
Islamic State fighters have issued a new video apparently showing the murder of US hostage Peter Kassig and threatening “slaughter” on Western streets.
The 15-minute long grisly video shows the horrific beheading a group of Syrian military prisoners and then the decapitated head of Mr Kassig at the feet of a masked man.
The man, who appears to be the same militant known as Jihadi John who has appeared in other beheading videos, says: “This is Peter Edward Kassig, a US citizen.”
He also denounces David Cameron as a puppet of the United States president:
He says: “To Obama, the dog of Rome. Today we are slaughtering the soldiers of Bashar and tomorrow we will be slaughtering your soldiers and with Allah’s permission we will break this final and last crusade and the Islamic State will soon, like your puppet David Cameron said, begin to slaughter your people on your streets.”
The chilling video, titled ‘Although the disbelievers dislike it’, shows the brutal murders of around 16 Syrian soldiers in graphic detail.
Mr Kassig’s death would be the fifth beheading of a Westerner apparently carried out by violent extremists of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).
Mr Kassig, 26, served in the American military and was deployed to Iraq in 2007 with the US Army Rangers, developing a deep interest in the Middle East.
After an honourable discharge, he moved to Beirut and set up a medical charity, which specialised in delivering aid to refugee camps.
He was taken hostage in October last year during a trip to deliver food and medical supplies to Deir Ezzour in eastern Syria
Like other families, his parents initially observed a media silence.
But when video emerged last month showing Mr Kassig wearing an orange jumpsuit in the Isil murder video of Alan Henning, a British taxi driver, they launched a very public campaign to persuade his captors to release him.
Ed and Paula Kassig, from Indianapolis, issued their own video message describing how their son had converted to Islam – taking the name Abdul Rahman Kassig – and that other captives had told them his faith brought him comfort.
Mrs Kassig said: “Our hearts ache for you to be granted your freedom so that we can hug you again and then set you free to continue the life you have chosen, the life of service to those in gravest [need].”
They also set up a Twitter account to send messages to his captors.
“I am an old woman, and Abdul Rahman is my only child. My husband and I are on our own, with no help from the government,” wrote Mrs Kassig. “We would like to talk to you. How can we reach you?”
Their campaign included releasing a letter sent by their son, describing his terrifying ordeal.
“I am obviously pretty scared to die but the hardest part is not knowing, wondering, hoping, and wondering if I should even hope at all,” he wrote. “If I do die, I figure that at least you and I can seek refuge and comfort in knowing that I went out as a result of trying to alleviate suffering and helping those in need.”
They also joined worshippers at a mosque in the to pray for his release….
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