An Islamic State video circulating on the internet purports to show the beheading of U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff. The video – lasting 2.46 minutes – is the exact replica of the James Foley decapitation. The video is titled “A Second Message to America” and is set in the eerily calm desert.

The introductory scene shows a clip from U.S. President Barack Obama’s speech after Foley’s death stating that the U.S. would be “relentless” in its pursuit of terrorism. The video then homes in on Sotloff, wearing the same Guadanamo Bay-styled orange jumpsuit that Foley had worn. The setting appears the same as in the first video and the man dubbed “John” – believed to be former rapper 24-year-old Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary – stands above Sotloff holding a knife.

The edited video –

The unedited version of the video (WARNING: Graphic details may shock)

Sotloff licks his lips and gives a message that appears to have been dictated by his captors:-

I’m sure you know exactly who I am right now and why I am appearing before you and now it’s time for my message. Obama, your foreign policy of intervention in Iraq was supposed to be for the preservation of American lives and interests, so why is it that I’m paying the price of your interference with my life? Am I not an American citizen? You’ve spent billions of U.S. taxpayers dollars and we’ve lost thousands of our troops in the previous fighting against the Islamic State.

So where’s the American people’s interest in reigniting this war? From what little I know about foreign policy, I remember a time you could not win an election without promising to bring our troops back home from Iraq and Afghanistan and close down Guantanamo.Here you are now, Obama, nearing the end of your term, and having achieved none of the above, and deceivingly marching us, the American people, into blazing fire.

A surprise turn came when the executioner, face also covered in black, openly mocked Obama and claimed he was the same person who beheaded Foley.

I’m back, Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State.
Because of your insistence on continuing your bombings and [garbled] on Mosul Dam, despite our serious warnings.Just as your missiles continue to strike our people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people. We take this opportunity to warn those governments that enter this evil alliance of America against the Islamic State to back off and leave our people alone.

The scene fades out when the executioner’s knife reaches Sotloff’s neck and reappears with his head on his stomach. Next, the video shows a scene with British aid worker David Cawthorne Haines wearing the same orange jumpsuit as Sotloff and Foley before him. Haines is a former British soldier who had left the military and worked for a string of human aid organizations.

British aid worker David Cawthorne Haines

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said he would chair a meeting with the Cobra emergency committee meeting on Wednesday.

Was the video pretaped?

In the second video, the hair on Sotloff’s hair seems slightly longer and he appears unshaven, showing that the video wasn’t taped at the same time as the Foley execution. This time the executioner’s voice seems muffled but he appears to be the same executioner of the first video.

Steven Sotloff at the end of the video showing James Foley’s execution

Steven Sotloff, as he appeared in his own video

A forensic analysis of the Foley execution suggested that the execution may have been staged with the actual murder taking place off-camera. The international forensic science company that worked with police forces across Britain suggested camera trickery and slick post-production technique. Forensic analysts told The Tims that no blood can be seen, even though the knife is drawn across the neck area at least six times. “After enhancements, the knife can be seen to be drawn across the upper neck at least six times, with no blood evidence to the point the picture fades to black,” the analysis said.

Sounds allegedly made by Foley do not appear consistent with what may be expected in an ironic twist of fate bearing in mind that the word for recorded sound effects after the shooting of a movie is “foley”.

The mother’s plea made days prior to the execution

The video comes soon after Shirley Sotloff’s plea for her son’s safe return.