The terrorist organization ISIS beheaded British aid worker David Haines in a video released Saturday. Haines, 44, is the group’s third videotaped beheading victim, following American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff. The video’s executioner appears to be the same British militant who taunted President Barack Obama in the first two videos showing the gruesome beheading of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.
In this version, ISIS featured footage of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who was the subject of the executioner’s taunts.
“You entered voluntarily into a coalition with the United States against the Islamic State just as your predecessor Tony Blair did following a trend amongst our British Prime Minsters who can’t find the courage to say no to the Americans,” said the ISIS propagandist in the video. ”Unfortunately it is we the British public who will pay the price for our Parliament’s selfish decisions.”
The ISIS executioner made specific reference to the U.S. bombing of the Haditha Dam in Iraq in the video. The executioner also vowed to kill a new victim in a forthcoming video: British aid worker Alan Henning, who was shown in orange garb being held by the terrorists.
Haines was taken hostage in Syria while working for ACTED in March last year where he was helping Syrian refugees.
Cameron called the beheading “an act of pure evil” on Twitter and vowed, ”We will do everything in our power to hunt down these murderers and ensure they face justice, however long it takes.”
The murder of David Haines is an act of pure evil. My heart goes out to his family who have shown extraordinary courage and fortitude.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) September 13, 2014
We will do everything in our power to hunt down these murderers and ensure they face justice, however long it takes.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) September 13, 2014
Brother of aid worker, David Haines, has paid tribute to him.
Speaking in a statement issued by the British Foreign Office, Mike Haines said that his brother had been murdered in cold blood.
“David was most alive and enthusiastic in his humanitarian roles,” he said. “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.”
