Herve Gourdel Beheaded by Jihadists

French hostage Herve Pierre Gourdel has been beheaded by a jihadist group that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Meanwhile, Western politicians and the media will respond to the beheading by defending the ideology that promotes such beheadings.

(CNN)—French hostage Herve Gourdel was abducted and beheaded, a killing shown on video, French President Francois Hollande told the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

“You will understand that today I am speaking before you with a particularly high level of emotion because one of my compatriots has just been subject of a cowardly assassination,” Hollande said. “He was a man who was full enthusiasm. He loved the mountains. He thought he would be able to pursue his passion moving into the Ouzou area in Algeria.”

Hollande said the attack won’t affect France’s role in the battle against terrorism.

“France will never give in to blackmail, to pressure, to barbaric acts. Quite to the contrary, France knows what is expected,” Hollande said.

Earlier, Hollande expressed his condolences to Gourdel’s family in a news conference at the French mission.

Gourdel was kidnapped over the weekend in Algeria’s Tizi Ouzou region east of Algiers, the French Foreign Ministry said. The video was posted online Wednesday. It shows armed men who claim to belong to Islamist militant group Jund al-Khilafa — or Soldiers of the Caliphate — in Algeria. They pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. (Continue Reading.)

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