The Islamic State released a video September 13 showing the beheading of British aid worker David Haines. The execution came within less than a month of the killing of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff. Islamic State terrorists videotaped all three savage executions and posted them online. The Islamic State has massacred thousands of Iraqis and Syrians during its drive to create an Islamic caliphate across the Middle East, but the gruesome beheadings of Western hostages carries heavier shock value that resonates far beyond the region. It also functions as a propaganda tool for the organization that is recruiting members from Western nations. In the clip of Haines’ killing, the black-clad terrorist displayed another hostage, identified as British citizen Alan Henning. The question now is how many more Western captives the Islamic State is holding, and how many of them will have to die.
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