Steven Sotloff of Time is reportedly the latest American journalist to be beheaded by the Islamic State, a militant group in control of large parts of Iraq and Syria.

When IS, which is also known as ISIS and ISIL, released a video of previous victim James Foley’s beheading, the group threatened to kill a second American unless its terms were met. Now that the threat has apparently been tragically realized, Islamic State has threatened the life of a third man, British citizen David Cawthorne Haines. According to NBC, Haines is a veteran who has worked with aid organizations.

Sotloff went missing a little over a year ago, and his mother recently issued a plea for his safety.

As President Obama and journalist Patrick Cockburn, who was speaking on Truthdig Radio, noted, Islamic State is responsible for many gruesome deaths beyond these unfortunate hostages.

In the interview below, Cockburn said the group uses “snuff films” to promote its atrocities.

Below, Matthew VanDyke remembers his friend, Steven Sotloff: — Posted by Peter Z. Scheer

Your support matters…

Independent journalism is under threat and overshadowed by heavily funded mainstream media.

You can help level the playing field. Become a member.

Your tax-deductible contribution keeps us digging beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that unearths what's really happening- without compromise.

Give today to support our courageous, independent journalists.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG