Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos denounced the execution of American journalist, James Foley, and called upon all Colombians to join him in condemning the actions of the Islamic State.
The Colombian head of state said that he was shocked after seeing the video of the beheading of Foley on Thursday.
“I just saw [the video]; I had not seen it, the video of the macabre execution of James Foley, a journalist who was beheaded a couple of days ago, and I was really shocked (…) I would like to speak on behalf of all Colombian journalists and all Colombians, to join those voices in condemning this cowardly and gruesome act,” said Santos.
From the Presidential Palace in Bogota, the Colombian president expressed solidarity with the family and colleagues of the slain journalist.
“I’m sure that all journalists are reflecting over his role in history — his role in these very complicated times, and so from here, from Colombia, I want to join those voices in condemning such macabre acts,” expressed Santos.
Foley was killed by Islamic State, a bloody rebel group that has taken control of vast territory in Iraq and Syria. The journalist had been kidnapped in 2012 and was beheaded to “send a warning” to the US over military intervention in the Middle East.