Beheaded 40-year-old journalist James Foley‘s family had news of his planned execution on August 13 when they received a chilling e-mail. They passed on the chilling message to the U.S. government and the FBI appealed for mercy.

His family spoke to the press outside their New Hampshire home and spoke of their “fearless” son and called for “compassion”. “It haunts me, how much pain he was in and how cruel this method of execution is as opposed to so many others,” said his father John. “We believe he was a martyr, a martyr for freedom.”

Phil Balboni, GlobalPost chief, the Boston-based publication that employed the unfortunate journalist said that there were indications early on that Foley had been transferred to the Syrian capital Damascus after he had been kidnapped in November 2012 as he traveled toward the Turkish border. It was initially believed that militias loyal to the government of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad had snatched Foley. This information proved incorrect nearly a year after his abduction when a European jihadist confirmed that Foley was alive and gave details of his captivity and his captors.

“We knew exactly where (Foley) was from the released hostages,” said Balboni. “We knew that his immediate jailers were British jihadists.” One of the hostages even had memorized a letter from Foley that he recited to his parents.

The first e-mail message from Foley’s captors came in November 2013 when ransom was demanded. The U.S. government has a firm policy of not giving in to ransom demands and soon communication went silent.

Didier Francois, a veteran French war corresponded held hostage with Foley and released alongside another three French hostages in April said that they shared a cell beginning in October. “He was a pleasant companion in detention because he was solid and collective. he never gave in to the pressure and violence of the kidnappers,” he said.

Another French journalist, Nicolas Henin, told France’s Express magazine taht Foley had been treated worse than the other captives because militants had discovered that his brother was in the U.S. Air Force. Henin said that Foley was the “whipping boy” of the captors.

The search is on to find the jihadist with the British accent who slashed Foley’s throat. CLICK HERE.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said it has documented 80 journalists abducted in Syria since 2011 and 65 in just the last year.

Steven Sotloff appeared in the video with Foley –

U.S. marine Austin Tice appeared in a brief video uploaded to the internet in September 2012 –

U.S. Government’s reaction 

In a Wednesday afternoon press conference U.S. President Obama vowed that the U.S. would be “vigilant” and “relentless” in protecting other American lives.

It was revealed that two dozen Delta Force commandos raided an oil refinery in northern Syria in an effort to rescue Foley and other hostages held by the Islamic State early in summer. The efforts failed.