Sotloff family speaks out about journalist's execution
MIAMI (KABC) -- The family of Steven Sotloff, a journalist killed by ISIS militants, spoke out on Wednesday after his death was confirmed. Sotloff, a 31-year-old Florida native who freelanced for Time and Foreign Policy magazines, had been reporting on the civil war in Syria when he vanished last year.
Barak Barfi, a spokesman for the Sotloff family, on Wednesday spoke publicly for the first time since ISIS released a video of the 31-year-old journalist's execution.
"He was no war junkie. He did not want to be a modern-day Lawrence of Arabia. He merely wanted to give voice to those who had none," said Barfi. Barfi said Sotloff's family was grieving, but have pledged to "not allow our enemies to hold us hostage with the sole weapon they possess - fear."
President Barack Obama confirmed Wednesday the ISIS video showing the execution of Sotloff is authentic.
"Overnight, our government confirmed that, tragically, Steven was taken from us in a horrific act of violence," the president said Wednesday.
It was also revealed that Sotloff had dual American and Israeli citizenship. Israel kept that a secret for Sotloff's own safety.
President Obama is vowing justice will be served. Speaking from Estonia, where he is attending a NATO conference, Mr. Obama made it clear the U.S. will not back down.
"Those who make the mistake of harming Americans will learn that we will not forget and that our reach is long and that justice will be served," the president said.
Mr. Obama expressed sadness for Sotloff's relatives, and said the barbaric acts "stiffen our resolve."
"I would hope that their deaths might not be in vain, that they might awaken the world, that we must act as a unified world," said Diane Foley, mother of James Foley, an American journalist who was also killed by ISIS.
ISIS says the assassination is in retaliation for U.S. airstrikes against ISIS fighters in Iraq. The terrorist group had warned last month that more deaths would follow the beheading of Foley.
In the video released online Tuesday, Sotloff addresses the camera, saying, "Obama, your foreign policy of intervention in Iraq was supposed to be for preservation of American lives and interests, so why is it that I am paying the price of your interference with my life?"
The video cuts to the militant, who appears by Sotloff's side holding a knife. He says as long as U.S. missiles "continue to strike our people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people."
ISIS terrorists say they have more Westerners they are holding captive, including a British journalist they say will be executed next if U.S. airstrikes continue.
Vice President Joe Biden promised that those responsible will held accountable.
"As a nation, we're united. And when people harm Americans, we don't retreat, we don't forget. We take care of those who are grieving, and when that's finished, they should know we will follow them to the gates of hell until they are brought to justice," Biden said.
While the president and vice president talked tough, there are no specifics on how to deal with the terrorist group and that has political opponents on the attack.
"They are, as I've said, as others have said, something that we've never seen before," said U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. "They are better organized, they are better funded, they have more capability, they're better structured."
A bipartisan group of legislators say the president has been too cautious in responding to ISIS so far.
"We have to deal with this threat comprehensively and thoroughly now, and that is what I want to hear and see from our commander-in-chief," said Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.)
"I have no doubt we'll either fight them now or we'll fight them later, because they're not going to stop," said Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)
There is renewed concern for two American aid workers who were captured by ISIS. Officials tell ABC News they believe the two are being held in the city of Raqqah.
ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
