Mother of Kidnapped American Journalist Pleads With Islamic State To Release Son
The mother of an American journalist being held captive by Islamic State militants has released a video, pleading with her son's captors to release him.
Shirley Sotloff, who resides in Miami, Florida, pleaded with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed caliph of the Islamic State, to release her son, Steven Sotloff, who was recently threatened with death on a YouTube video that showed members of the Islamic State beheading fellow journalist James Foley. Sotloff with kidnapped by Islamic State militants in Aleppo in 2013.
"I want what every mother wants, to live to see her children's children." Shirley says in the video, which was released to multiple media outlets and is addressed directly to Steven's captors. "I plead with you to grant me this."
"You, the caliph, can grant amnesty. I ask you please to release my child. I ask you to use your authority to spare his life," Shirley continues.
Shirley added in the video that her son has always been dedicated to helping the poor and weak, and his passion for helping others should not be punished due to the current political status of the Middle East. "Steven has no control over the actions of the U.S. government. He's an innocent journalist," Shirley says.
The Islamic State recently executed American journalist James Foley, claiming it was committing the barbaric act in response to continued U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State militants. Later, new details from the incident indicated the Islamic State had beheaded Foley because it had not received a multi-million ransom from the U.S.
The Islamic State militants featured in the video showed Sotloff in an unknown desert location, threatening to also kill the American journalist if the U.S. does not immediately cease its airstrikes on Islamic State convoys.
