Staff Writer
Early Sunday morning a video was released
by the Islamic State (ISIS) claiming the execution of 26 year old U.S. aid
worker and former Army Ranger Peter Kassig. The U.S. government confirmed the
death shortly after the video was released.
Kassig marks the third American and the
fifth Westerner beheaded by ISIS in the past months. This has caused many
people to question President Obama’s stance on not sending any U.S. ground
troops to the area. The president did comment on the situation saying, “[He]
was taken from us in an act of pure evil by a terrorist group that the world
rightly associates with inhumanity. His life and deeds stand in stark contrast
to everything that ISIL[ISIS] represents.” Mike Pense, governor of Kassig’s
home state of Indiana also commented saying, The murder of Kassig at the hands of
ISIS terrorists is an unspeakable act of barbarism and a tragedy that will be
deeply felt by all the people of our state for many years to come.”
Kassig was captured on October 1, 2013
while driving an ambulance, delivering aid supplies. After serving in Iraq as a
member of the 75th Regiment, Kassig felt compelled to continue helping those
affected by the violence in Middle East. He returned to the region in 2012,
this time in Lebanon, where he formed the non-profit organization Special
Emergency Response and Assistance.
Unlike the four previous execution
videos, this video is around 16 minutes long, most of which is propaganda about
the formation of ISIS, also known as ISIL, featuring a mass execution of Syrian
soldiers. In the last few minutes of the video “Jihadi John”, believed to be the
British masked man who has appeared in the previous videos, appears. Kassig did
not make a statement against the U.S. as those before him. In fact he had no
statement at all. All that was to be seen of Kassig was his decapitated head.
There was no video footage of the
murderous act as there was with his four former cellmates. It is speculated
that Kassig, who received hostage training while in the military, fought back.
He is believed to have interfered during his own beheading, somehow spoiling
the footage, causing them to post this alternative version.
Kassig’s parents supported him through
it all, even when he voluntarily converted to Islam after sharing a cell with a
devout Syrian Muslim. In June 2014 Abdul-Rahman, Kassig’s name after his conversion,
sent his family a letter. Part of it read, “In terms of my faith, I pray
everyday and I am not angry in that sense. But I am at peace with my
belief.” Writing about what lies ahead
he wrote, “I am obviously pretty scared to die but the hardest part is not
knowing, wondering, hoping, and wondering if I should even hope at all.” He
expressed gratitude and condolences saying, “If I do die, I figure that at least
you and I can seek refuge and comfort in knowing that I went out as a result of
trying to alleviate suffering and helping those in need.”
After getting the news of their son’s
death the Kassig family released a statement saying, “He lost his life as a
result of his love for the Syrian people and his desire to ease their
suffering… We will work every day to keep his legacy alive as best we can.”
