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Islamic State claims beheading of US aid worker Peter Kassig in video

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The Islamic State jihadist group on November 16, 2014 claimed to have executed Peter Kassig as a warning to the United States, in video.
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Islamic State militants fighting in Iraq and Syria claimed in a video posted online on Sunday that they had beheaded American hostage Peter Kassig.

The video did not show the beheading but showed a masked man standing with a decapitated head covered in blood lying at his feet.

Speaking in English in a British accent, the man says: "This is Peter Edward Kassig, a US citizen."

 The authenticity of the footage, which appeared on a jihadist website and on Twitter feeds used by Islamic State, could not be verified immediately.

The video also shows a number of other people being beheaded.

Britain is analysing a video posted online by Islamic State militants on Sunday which claims American hostage Peter Kassig has been beheaded, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said.

"We are aware of a further video and are analysing its contents. If true this is a further disgusting murder," the spokeswoman said. 

A former US Army soldier who deployed to Iraq in 2007, Kassig was doing humanitarian work through Special Emergency Response and Assistance, an organization he founded, when he was taken captive while on his way to the eastern Syrian city of Deir al-Zor, his family has said.

Kassig's first name was Peter before he converted to Islam while in captivity, the family has said.

Earlier, on September 14, 2014 Islamic State militants fighting in Iraq and Syria released a video showing the beheading of British aid worker David Haines. Before that it had released a video showing the beheading of American journalist James Foley and freelance journalist Steven Joel Sotloff.

Video: A message released by Kassig's parents. Kassig Family released handout photo on October 4, 2014 shows Peter Kassig in front of a truck somewhere along the Syrian border between late 2012 and autumn 2013 as Special Emergency Response and Assistance (SERA) was delivering supplies to refugees before the American aid worker was held captive by Islamic State jihadists.

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