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James Foley (journalist)

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James Foley
File:James Foley in 2011.jpg
Foley in 2011
Born
James Wright Foley

(1973-10-18)October 18, 1973
Rochester, New Hampshire,
DiedAugust 20, 2014(2014-08-20) (aged 40)
Syria
Cause of deathBeheading
NationalityAmerican
Other namesJim Foley
Alma materMarquette University
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Medill School of Journalism
OccupationPhotojournalist
Employer(s)GlobalPost
Agence France-Presse
Stars and Stripes[1]
Parent(s)John and Diane Foley[2]

James Wright Foley (October 18, 1973 – c. August 19, 2014) was an American freelance photojournalist. He worked for the U.S. GlobalPost news company, until November 22, 2012, when he was abducted in northwestern Syria while covering the Syrian Civil War. In August 2014, Foley became the first American citizen to be killed by the Islamic State.[3]

Early life and education

Foley was a native of Rochester, New Hampshire,[4] and attended Kingswood Regional High School in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.[5] He was the oldest of five children born to John and Diane Foley.[6] He was a Catholic.[7][8]

Foley graduated from Marquette University in 1996.[9] He graduated from the MFA Program for Poets & Writers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2003.[10] Foley graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism in 2008.[11]

Career

Foley began his career as a teacher in Arizona, Massachusetts, and Chicago, Illinois, and moved to a career in photojournalism in the mid-2000s.[12]

In April 2011, Foley, working for GlobalPost, and three other journalists were detained near Brega, Libya, by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi during the Libyan Civil War; fellow photojournalist Anton Hammerl was killed in the attack in which Foley was captured.[13][14] Foley was released from jail 44 days later.[14] He returned to Milwaukee to thank the community for praying for his safe return.[15] He also wrote an article for Marquette Magazine about how rosary prayers helped get him through his captivity.[16][17] Foley quickly returned to Libya and with GlobalPost correspondent Tracey Shelton he was at the scene of Gaddafi’s capture in October 2011.[18]

Foley continued working as a freelancer for GlobalPost and other media outlets such as the French agency Agence France-Presse until he was captured in Syria in 2012.[19]

Kidnapping and death

Foley was kidnapped in northwestern Syria along with his translator in November 2012. The translator was later released.[20] ISIS demanded $132 million from Foley's family and GlobalPost, his employer, for his release during a period of time when communication was being exchanged November to December of 2013.[21][22] The chief executive officer of GlobalPost, Philip Balboni, stated that the company spent millions on efforts to bring Foley home, including hiring an international security firm. In September 2013 the firm was able to locate Foley and had been able to follow his locations. He had moved many times during his captivity.[23][24][22]

Sources close to the family said that they believed he was kidnapped by Shabiha militia. He was later reportedly held in a Syrian Arab Air Force intelligence complex in Damascus.[25][26] A U.S. Special Forces operation to rescue Foley and other hostages, who were believed to be held somewhere inside Syria, was initiated by President Obama in July 2014.[27] A firefight ensued in which a number of militants were killed, but no American troops were killed. Foley and the other hostages were never located. The operation was only revealed after Foley's death, confirming for the first time that U.S. troops have operated on the ground in Syria during its civil war.[27]

Foley's whereabouts were unknown until August 19, 2014, when ISIS uploaded to YouTube a video showing Foley being beheaded with a large knife. Prior to the beheading, Foley delivered a prepared statement urging Americans to end their support for the U.S. government over its bombing campaign against ISIS targets.[28] After the beheading, the video revealed that ISIS is holding another American journalist named Steven Joel Sotloff, and says that he will be killed if U.S. President Barack Obama does not halt air strikes against ISIS.[11] The video was shot at an unknown desert location. The killer spoke with a British accent, and authorities are attempting to identify him.[29][30]

On August 20, 2014, the United States National Security Council confirmed that the video was authentic.[31] On August 19, 2014, the day before, Foley's family had confirmed his death.[32][33]

His mother, Diane Foley, said he "gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people".[32] Pope Francis called Foley's family to express his condolences.[34] Foley's brother said he believed the US government could have done more to save James during hostage negotiations, due to the government's policy of not paying ransom and other unspecified issues.[35]

See also

References

  1. ^ Ackerman, Spencer (August 20, 2014). "Islamic State militants claim to have killed US journalist James Foley". The Guardian. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  2. ^ "James Foley's Parents Recall Son's 'Big Heart'". ABC News. August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  3. ^ Alyssa Newcomb (August 20, 2014). "Another American hostage threatened with death". CBS News. World News. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  4. ^ Arkin, Daniel (August 19, 2014). "James Wright Foley, Kidnapped Journalist, Apparently Executed by ISIS". NBC News. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  5. ^ Marquard, Bryan; Sampson, Zachary T. (August 21, 2014). "James Foley, exemplar of bravery to many, dies at 40". Boston Globe. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  6. ^ Hoai-Tran Bui (August 20, 2014). "Foley set out to record 'most dangerous things'". USA Today. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  7. ^ Levitz, Jennifer (August 20, 2014). "In Fear and Violence, Slain U.S. Journalist Found Humanity". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  8. ^ Reston, Maeve (August 20, 2014). "Slain journalist James Foley's hometown in New Hampshire grieves". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  9. ^ Johnson, Annysa (August 20, 2014). "Islamic militants execute journalist, MU grad James Foley". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  10. ^ Lederman, Diane (20 August 2014). "James Foley, journalist reportedly slain by ISIS, is UMass-Amherst graduate". The Republican. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  11. ^ a b "Video shows ISIS beheading U.S. journalist James Foley". CNN. August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  12. ^ "Profile: James Foley, US journalist beheaded by Islamic State". BBC News. August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  13. ^ Harris, Elizabeth A. (April 7, 2011). "Four Foreign Journalists Held in Libya". New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  14. ^ a b Begley, Patrick (August 20, 2014). "James Foley describes his capture in Libya". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  15. ^ Sater, Terry (August 19, 2014). "Kidnapped journalist James Foley reportedly killed". WISN-TV. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  16. ^ "Faith, prayer sources of strength for slain U.S. journalist, his family". Catholic News Service. August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  17. ^ Foley, James. "Phone call home". Marquette Magazine. Marquette University. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  18. ^ "Foley beheading video followed prior threat". GlobalPost. August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  19. ^ "Foley beheading video shocks the world, Obama says". BBC News. August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  20. ^ "FBI profile: James Wright Foley". FBI. Archived from the original on 2014-07-19. Retrieved August 20, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ Cassandra Vinograd and Erin McClam (August 21, 2014). "ISIS Demanded $132 Million for Release of Journalist James Foley". NBC News. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  22. ^ a b "Report: ISIS Demanded $132 Million Ransom For James Foley's Release". CBS. Washington D.C. AP. August 21, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  23. ^ "GlobalPost CEO Shares Details Of Fight To Save James Foley". National Public Radio. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  24. ^ Sampson, Zachary T. (August 20, 2014). "Militants sent e-mails to James Foley's family, GlobalPost CEO says". Boston Globe. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  25. ^ Nickisch, Curt (May 3, 2013). "N.H. Family: Missing Journalist James Foley In Syrian Prison". Boston: WBUR-FM. NPR. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  26. ^ Kelley, Michael B. (August 20, 2014). "One Big Question Surrounds The Murder Of US Journalist James Foley By ISIS". Business Insider. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  27. ^ a b Julia Pace (August 20, 2014). "Officials: U.S. rescue mission in Syria failed". Yahoo! News. AP. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  28. ^ Rukmini Callimachi (August 19, 2014). "Militant Group Says It Killed American Journalist in Syria". New York Times. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  29. ^ Nick Allen and Philip Sherwell (August 20, 2014). "Hunt for 'British' Islamic State killer of US journalist James Foley". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  30. ^ Sparrow, Andrew (August 20, 2014). "PM returns from holiday after video shows US reporter beheaded by Briton". The Guardian. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  31. ^ "Video of U.S. journalists is authentic: NSC". Yahoo! News. Reuters. August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  32. ^ a b Rik Steves (August 19, 2014). "American killed in Syria a journalist at heart". Yahoo! News. AP. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  33. ^ Lerman, David (August 19, 2014). "Islamic Extremist Video Shows Beheading of U.S. Reporter". Bloomberg News. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  34. ^ "Pope Francis Calls Slain Journalist James Foley's Family". NBC News. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  35. ^ Katie Couric and Liz Goodwin (August 22, 2014). "James Foley's brother: The U.S. could have done more for Jim". Yahoo! News. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
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