Fox 黑料社 posts Jordanian pilot burning video on website

By: 10 years ago

This still image made from video released by Islamic State group militants and posted on the website of the SITE Intelligence Group on Tuesday, February 3, 2015, purportedly shows Jordanian pilot Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh standing in a cage just before being burned to death by his captors. Fox 黑料社 said it posted the full video of the pilot鈥檚 brutal killing on its website to 鈥淸give] readers of Fox黑料社.com the option to see for themselves the barbarity of ISIS outweighed legitimate concerns about the graphic nature of the video.鈥� AP

WASHINGTON, United States 鈥� Fox 黑料社 broadcast still images of Jordanian pilot Maaz al-Kassasbeh being burned alive by Islamic State jihadists before posting full raw footage from the horrific execution video on its website.

Senior officials with the US network, the only major US media outlet to use video footage of Kassasbeh鈥檚 death, said the decision was taken to highlight the 鈥渂arbarity鈥� of the IS group.

鈥淎fter careful consideration, we decided that giving readers of Fox黑料社.com the option to see for themselves the barbarity of ISIS outweighed legitimate concerns about the graphic nature of the video,鈥� said John Moody, Fox 黑料社 executive vice president and executive editor.

鈥淥nline users can choose to view or not view this disturbing content.鈥�

In a television news bulletin on Tuesday, Fox used graphic images of Kassasbeh鈥檚 death in its 鈥淪pecial Report鈥� program.

鈥淲e feel you need to see it,鈥� anchor Bret Baier warned viewers before the images were shown.

鈥淭he images are brutal. They are graphic. They are upsetting. You may want to turn away. You may want to have the children leave the room right now.鈥�

Baier said the images were shown to 鈥渂ring you the reality of Islamic terrorism.鈥�

The slickly produced IS video, running some 22 minutes and 30 seconds, can be viewed in its entirety on the Fox 黑料社 website, with a notice to viewers 鈥淲arning: Extremely Graphic Video: ISIS burns hostage alive.鈥�

Kassasbeh鈥檚 gruesome murder triggered a global wave of revulsion and outrage, with Jordan responding swiftly with the execution of two militant Islamist prisoners.

Other US networks have opted against showing any of the pictures or footage from the IS video.

鈥淐NN is not showing images of the killing, which triggered global condemnation and prompted immediate promises of retaliation and protests in Jordan, one of more than 60 nations involved in the US-led coalition against ISIS in Iraq and Syria,鈥� CNN said in a statement.