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The Simmons Voice

The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

PM condemns beheadings

By Lindsey Stokes
Staff Writer

The latest victim in a surge of beheadings videotaped by the Islamic group more commonly known as ISIS, has been identified by British Prime Minister David Cameron as Scottish-born aid worker David Haines.

According to AL Jazeera, Haines was abducted in March of 2013 while working for the French NGO A.C.T.E.D. near the Turkish border of Syria.

The 44-year-old father of two was assisting in the delivery of humanitarian aid to a refugee camp in Atmeh.

The video, released by Islamic State, features excerpts of Prime Minister Cameron speaking publicly about the alliance of British, Iraqi, and Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

It goes on to include a speech by Haines denouncing Cameron for his association with the United States: “Following a trend amongst our British prime ministers who can’t find the courage to say no to the Americans. Unfortunately, it is we, the British public, that will in the end pay the price for our Parliament’s selfish decisions.”

The speech has been disregarded as a scripted utterance given under extreme duress.

The graphic beheading of Haines is then shown.

The victims of the previously broadcasted beheadings, James Foley, and Steven Sotloff, both American journalists in the region, were shown in similar fashion— dressed in bright-orange jumpsuits, kneeling next to their captors.

At the conclusion of the video the masked executioner threatens another jumpsuit-clad, prisoner, who, according to CNN has now been identified as Alan Henning, a British citizen abducted Dec. 26 from an aid convoy in Syria.

If Cameron continues the fight against the Islamic State, the masked man warns, Henning will inevitably lose his life.

Prime Minister Cameron issued a statement last Saturday pledging to “hunt down” those responsible for Haines’ death, and Henning’s capture.

The White House issued a statement shortly thereafter vowing to work directly with the United Kingdom, as well as countries in the region to “bring the perpetrators of this outrageous act to justice.”

The masked militant, with what resembles a British accent, is believed to be the same militant featured in the beheading videos of both Foley and Sotloff.

Aside from the two journalists, and now aid worker Haines, the Islamic State is also responsible for brutally killing dozens of Syrian and Iraqi civilians in its newly conquered territories.

In a statement obtained by CNN, David’s brother, Mike Haines, said David was “most alive” when involved in humanitarian aid work. “His joy and anticipation for the work he went to do in Syria is for myself and family the most important element of this whole sad affair,” Haines said.

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