James Foley

American Journalist James Foley disappeared on November 22nd 2012 in the North West of Syria near the Turkish border. Foley was working for U.S based online news website GlobalPost at the time of his disappearance. A video of the beheading of James Foley was later post to YouTube on the 19th of August; the killing is thought to have been carried out by the terrorist organisation ISIS.

James Foley whist working for GlobalPost

Foley was abducted whilst reporting on the Syrian Civil War in 2012, this was the abduction that finally lead to his death in 2014. Foley was no stranger to front line journalism and danger; he had previously been detained in Libya by pro-Gaddafi forces he was released safely 44 days after his detainment although being subject to multiple beatings and a witness to a fellow journalist (Anton Hammerl) being killed whist he was held. Foley then returned home, in an interview he stated "You go through different emotions when you're in captivity... These weird extreme ideas of where you are based on this capture. You don't want to be defined as that guy who got captured in 2011. I believe front line journalism is important [without it] we can't tell the world how bad it might be."

Foley's view towards frontline journalism shows how passionate he was about it, I don't believe that James Foley would have been suited to any other form of journalism apart from this front line, facing danger head on style of journalism. This style of Journalism undoubtedly gives the rawest view of current events and is the most dangerous style of reporting; James Foley is one name on a growing list of front line journalists that have lost their lives whilst reporting, the question is, it is really worth the risk?

Visit http://freejamesfoley.org/ to remember the bravery of James and find out information about the new formed James W. Foley Legacy Fund. 

James Foley 2011