Journalist's Sister Calls Airstrike On "Jihadi John" A Little Bit Of Justice
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The sister of Miami journalist Steven Sotloff, who was beheaded by ISIS terrorists in the Syrian desert last year, is expressing some relief after hearing that he may have been killed in a U.S. drone strike.
An assault Thursday in the Syrian town of Raqqa targeted the Islamist terrorist known as Jihadi John. His real name is Mohamed Emwazi. He first appeared on an ISIS execution video last year, wearing a mask and holding a large knife.
"Emwazi, a British citizen, participated in the videos showing the murders of U.S. journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, U.S. aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, and a number of other hostages," said Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook in a statement.
"This development doesn't change anything for us; it's too little too late. Our son is never coming back. More importantly, today, we remember Steven's remarkable life, his contributions and those of James Foley, Abdul-Rahman Peter Kassig, Kayla Mueller, David Haines, Alan Henning, Kenji Goto, and everyone else who has suffered at the hands of ISIS," said Steven's parents Art and Shirley Sotloff.
On Friday Steven Sotloff's sister, Lauren, posted the following message on her Facebook page.
"Finally a little bit of justice...Not the way I would of wanted him to die. He should of had his head cut off also and been left to suffer. But at least he is dead. Feeling overwhelmed and full of emotions today. Hoping my brother is in heaven knowing some justice was served. Unfortunately this still doesn't change things. Wish they would have killed him while my brother was alive. Its just too late."
Jihadi John" was international symbol of the brutality that is ISIS. He first appeared on an Islamic state video last year wearing a mask, dressed in black and holding a large knife. He spoke with a British accent before executing Foley.
A former hostage of ISIS described Emwazi as a psychopath.
Born in Kuwait, Emwazi was moved to England as a boy. It's believed he left for Syria in 2013.
Emwazi has been on Britain's list of potential terrorists for years.
"Emwazi is a barbaric murderer. He was shown in those sickening videos of the beheading of British aid workers. He posed an ongoing and serious threat to innocent civilians, not only in Syria but around the world and in the United Kingdom too. He was ISIL's lead executioner and let us never forget that he killed many, many Muslims too and he was intent of murdering many more people. So this was an act of self-defence. It was the right thing to do. Today I want to thank the United States," said British Prime Minister David Cameron.
The U.S. began launching air strikes against ISIS members in Syria last year. If "Jihadi John's" death is confirmed, he would be the best known.
