Steven Sotloff, American freelance journalist, was shown getting beheaded by an Islamic State jihadist in a video that has been authenticated by the U.S. Intelligence Community.

Steven Sotloff Beheaded

On Tuesday, a video emerged that showed Sotloff's beheading at the hands of ISIL. The video of Sotloff's execution, which took a similar form to the one that showed James Foley's death and in which Sotloff appeared, has since been verified by the U.S. Intelligence Community, which will continue to provide information on the matter.

"The U.S. Intelligence Community has analyzed the recently released video showing U.S. citizen Steven Sotloff and has reached the judgment that it is authentic," National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a statement Wednesday. "We will continue to provide updates as they are available."

President Barack Obama has also addressed the lslamic State's latest beheading of an American journalist, calling it a "horrific act of violence." Obama added, speaking of Sotloff's family, "Today, our country grieves with them." The president also stressed that the U.S. will be taking further steps to derail the Islamic State. "It'll take time to roll them back," said Obama, who later added, "Our reach is long and justice will be served.

Former British Rapper May Be Behind The Knife Again

In the video of Sotloff's behading, a masked jihadi threatens in British-accented English, “I’m back, Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State. Just as your missiles continue to strike our people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people.”

Published reports have suggested that the militant who killed Sotloff may be the former British rapper, Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary, also know as L. Jinny, who was shown killing Foley in the video released last month, according to British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, who spoke with the BBC after meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron. In the video, the militant dubbed "Jihadi John," warns that the next innocent that will be killed is British aid worker David Haines.

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