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Katerina Sulova/Czech News Agency/Press Association Images

'A despicable crime': UN chief slams murder of US journalist Steven Sotloff

The White House has confirmed that the video showing Sotloff’s beheading is authentic.

UN SECRETARY GENERAL Ban Ki-moon has said that the world was “outraged” at the beheading of journalist Steven Sotloff in a video released by Islamic State militants.

The release of the images follows similar grisly footage from IS last month showing another US journalist, James Foley, being decapitated.

“We are all outraged at reports from Iraq about the brutal killing of civilians by ISIL (IS), including yesterday’s reported brutal beheading of another journalist,” he said in New Zealand.

I strongly condemn all such despicable crimes and I refuse to accept that whole communities can be threatened by atrocity crimes because of who they are or what they believe.

The White House has confirmed that the video is authentic.

The UN chief described the situation in Iraq, where IS extremists have seized territory in the north and west of the country, as “abhorrent” and called on religious leaders “to stand up for tolerance, mutual respect and non-violence”.

In the latest footage, Sotloff, 31, calmly addresses the camera to say he is a victim of US President Barack Obama’s decision to press on with air strikes in Iraq against the jihadists.

A masked militant with a British accent, possibly the same man shown killing Foley in the first video, then murders him with a knife.

Sotloff, a veteran war reporter well versed in the history and culture of the Middle East, was captured just over a year ago while crossing the frontier from Turkey into Syria.

The New York Post reports that a family spokesperson has said Sotloff’s relatives are aware “of this horrific tragedy and [are] grieving privately”, while Foley’s family said in a post on Facebook:

We pray for the soul of Steve Sotloff and for his family and friends.

On Tuesday, Ban described IS’s reign of terror in Syria and Iraq, in which the jihadists have staged mass executions, beheadings, crucifixions and stonings, as “totally unacceptable”.

The UN Human Rights Council this week unanimously agreed to send an emergency mission to Iraq to investigate atrocities in the self-declared Islamic “caliphate” amid reports of ethnic cleansing in minority Christian and Yazidi Kurdish areas.

Similar to last week’s video of Foley’s murder, many have called for the video, or stills from the footage, not to be published.

Video sharing website LiveLeak, on which videos like this has previously appeared, has banned the uploads of the video.

“This is the first time we’ve ever made a decision to politically censor material,” a statement read.

“There is a difference between showing what is happening and advertising.

“Sometimes it’s a fine line, sometimes (as with this particular video) not so fine. Our stance was not based solely on this video but on the very real possibility IS will be releasing similar videos in the near future.

They are aimed at advertising the IS message directly to the west. They are advertising, slickly produced pseudo snuff movies and we want no part in them should they come up.

Additional reporting © AFP 2014

Read: US journalist Steven Sotloff ‘beheaded by Islamic State’ in newly released video >

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91 Comments
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    Mute Seamus MacIonnrachtaigh
    Favourite Seamus MacIonnrachtaigh
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    Dec 16th 2013, 11:36 AM

    In Ireland there are almost 100 empty houses for every homeless person.

    Funny, I don’t think Enda mentioned that last night.

    Threshold do excellent work but they really shouldn’t have to.

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    Mute John
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:08 PM

    I think its disgusting to use the picture of a homeless child in the 3rd world to contrast against housing problems in this country. The child you have depicted doesn’t have access to social services or the care we take for granted in this country.

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    Mute Alfalfa T Boggins
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:29 PM

    Send your child out to sleep on the street tonight and then tell us about the difference it is being homeless in Ireland tonight and being homeless in a third world country. At least in a 3rd world country they dont set their homeless on fire

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    Mute John
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:31 PM

    Alfalfa. Go to India or Bangladesh and see how the people in the slums live, they’re treated like vermin, they exist on nothing. the rats in this country have a better quality of life.

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    Mute Alfalfa T Boggins
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:37 PM

    Sorry John to me a homeless Child here in December is at risk as much any anyone anywhere. Most 12 year old’s are not aware of the services you speak about. Plus obviously no one would print a picture of a homeless child in Ireland, its too small a country.

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    Mute micheal285
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:23 PM

    Maybe it’s the shape of things to come John ??

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    Mute John
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:35 PM

    more than eight million Bangladeshis live on less than USD 2 a day. Its disgusting how people in our sheltered first world bubble compare their ‘hardships’ to the people of the 3rd world. We don’t know real hardship in this country. Open your eyes!

    http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=4794

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    Mute Aunty Simmonite
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:28 PM

    Contrast the few comments on this issue with the outpourings of the do-gooders on the earlier ‘racist’ item.

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    Mute Sinead Hanley
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    Dec 16th 2013, 1:04 PM

    John… Charity BEGINS at home.. I dont know what kind of a mind would think its ok for an Irish child to suffer a little bit.. Its ok to be cold and hungry and wet.. At least she isnt suffering like those in the third world..

    A child should be subjected to NO suffering.. no matter what part of the world you live in..

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    Mute Mitch Connor
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    Dec 18th 2013, 3:32 PM

    Gg

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    Mute Arpy O'hEigceartaigh
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    Dec 16th 2013, 4:34 PM

    “Suffer little children to come unto me”
    I say no more; think about it.

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    Mute John Allen
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    Dec 17th 2013, 1:49 PM

    fantastic work is being done in cork in regard to homeesess and your journal is doing a great job in high lightind the matter my em address is danielgreydog@yahoo.co.uk used to do a lot of hunting in glanmire woods happy christmas an the new year too god bless

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