FBI Identifies Islamic State Executioner In Beheading Videos
The United States announced Thursday that it has successfully identified the brutal Islamic State extremist who beheaded American hostages James Foley and Steven Sotloff in August.
FBI Director James Comey told ABC News that the U.S. has successfully identified the Islamic State militant, who wears a black outfit with a black hood in the videos. Intelligence investigators used several physical and verbal cues to identify the killer, including the shape of his eyes, his left-handedness, and his speech pattern.
Comey told ABC News that the U.S. was able to identify the militant with the help of international partners. Great Britain's intelligence previously said that they believe the man in the video was British.
At the time of America photojournalist James Foley's execution, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced that it was "increasingly likely" the masked man in the video was from Great Britain.
The White House also previously confirmed the execution videos' authenticity, saying: "The U.S. intelligence community has analyzed the recently released video showing U.S. citizens James Foley and Steven Sotloff. We have reached the judgment that this video is authentic."
The recent beheadings of the two Americans and one British hostage, David Haines, were allegedly done in retaliation for U.S. airstrikes in Iraq. Despite threats, President Obama has said the U.S. will not stop its airstrikes that are targeted at destroying the Islamic State.
Just this week, the U.S. oversaw dozens of airstrikes in Syria and Iraq that targeted oil reserves that contribute to the Islamic State's funding.
