Beheaded man’s parents speak

freelance journalist covering the Middle East, who was held hostage and beheaded. His brutal murder on Sept. 2, 2014, was captured on video by the Islamic State group and shared through the internet.

“The videos went viral and catapulted ISIS onto the world stage,” Stahl said. “For the parents of one of those Americans, Art and Shirley Sotloff, the murder of their 31-year-old son Steven was shattering because of the brutality of his execution. And because they think he could’ve been saved if not for what even the White House now admits was its own ineffectiveness in dealing with the crisis. But what really sealed their son’s fate, the Sotloff’s believe is the government’s policy against paying ransom.”

Arthur Sotloff said he heard from his son just before he crossed the border into Syria. It was four months later that he learned his son had been taken hostage from a ransom letter.

“They thought the U.S. government would help them but they were bewildered and then infuriated when they say they met a stonewall: The U.S. policy forbidding the paying of ransom,” Stahl said.

Arthur Sotloff said he and his wife tried to raise money to pay for their son’s release, but were told they weren’t allowed. He and other families of hostages met with officials on the National Security Council for answers.

“All of us were saying well why can’t we try to save our kids?” he said. “And they said because it’s against the law. We do not negotiate with terrorists. They said you could be prosecuted and also your donors could be prosecuted.”

Monaco defended the no-ransom policy, but said the government failed these parents.

“We have Americans who were brutally killed,” Monaco told Stahl. “On the one hand, if you don’t pay a ransom, you are putting an innocent life at risk. On the other hand, if you do, you’re fueling the very activity that’s put them at risk in the first place.”

“I want everyone to know who my son was and what he gave up,” Arthur Sotloff said on Friday. “Also, the unwillingness of the U.S. government to address it or try to save our kids.”