Washington, D.C., August 20, 2014 –The Military Reporters & Editors Association condemns the murder of James Foley, a U.S. freelance journalist, who was abducted in Syria in November 2012. In a video posted online, the terror group, Islamic State, claim they executed Foley, saying the act was retribution for U.S. military intervention in Iraq.
“The horrific murder of journalist James Foley shows the dangers of our chosen profession. He bore witness to the plight of the Syrian people, his barbaric death was an attack on his occupation as a journalist,” said MRE President Amy McCullough. “On behalf of his colleagues around the world, our hearts go out to his family.”
Foley, along with at least 69 other journalists, have been killed covering the war in Syria. Another 80 journalists have been kidnapped, including Steven Joel Soltoff who, it is believed, is being held by the same group that murdered Mr. Foley.