ISIS beheads US aid worker, 14 Syrian soldiers
Jihadists threaten to take killings to US streets after beheading Kassig
WASHINGTON: Militant group ISIS released a video on Sunday claiming they had killed US aid worker Peter Kassig. The video, longer than previous ones, also shows the gruesome simultaneous beheadings of 14 men described as Syrian military personnel.
The White House is trying to determine the authenticity of the video. Kassig — a former Army Ranger who had converted to Islam — is the third American and fifth westerner to be executed by ISIS.
In the video, a masked militant believed to be ‘Jihadi John’, who has appeared in previous execution videos, stands over a severed head, “This is Peter Edward Kassig. Peter, who fought against Muslims in Iraq while serving as a soldier under the American army, doesn’t have much to say.”
Kassig, 26, who was deployed to Iraq in 2007 changed his name to Abdul-Rahman after converting to Islam last year. He was abducted in October 2013 while travelling to Syria.
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) said in a video on Sunday they had beheaded US hostage Peter Kassig and warned the United States they would kill other US citizens “on your streets”.
The announcement of Kassig’s death formed part of a video posted online in which ISIS showed the beheadings of at least 14 men it said were pilots and officers loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Kassig was a former Army Ranger and aid worker who had converted to Islam.
Abdul-Rahman Kassig, 26, who was earlier called Peter, had been captured in October 2013, but had managed to send a letter to his family with a released hostage. That was his last contact with them.
Kassig’s family has said he had converted to Islam in 2013, before he was taken hostage.
Kassig appears in the video with the same ISIS terrorist as the one in all others — covered in all black — who authorities suspect to be British.
“This is Peter Edward Kassig,” said the terrorist to the camera, “a US citizen of your country. Peter, who fought against the Muslims in Iraq while serving as a soldier under the American army, doesn’t have much to say.”
Past victims — Americans James Foley and Steve Sotloff and British David Haines — were made to deliver scripted speeches denouncing western military action against ISIS.
This was the fifth branding of Westerners by ISIS.
The military strikes have only intensified, with one targeting ISIS leadership last week — there was speculation that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, their top leader, may have been hit. He wasn’t, ISIS said later.
“We are aware of a video that claims to show the murder of US citizen Peter Kassig by ISIL,” said US national security council spokesperson Bernadette Meehan. “The intelligence community is working to determine its authenticity.”