Free Republic

The U.S. government Friday defended its handling of James Foley's case after the slain journalist's mother told CNN that officials suggested the family could be charged if they tried to raise money to free him. Saying everything possible had been done to bring the journalist home, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters officials worked very closely with Foley's family and with his employer, GlobalPost CEO Philip Balboni. "Any advice that this department or other departments give to the families about what they should do in these situations is based solely on what is best for returning their loved one...

The families of two journalists beheaded by Islamic State jihadists were both warned by US government officials they could face prosecution if they raised a ransom for their release. The recent executions of James Foley and Steven Sotloff by Islamic State (IS) extremists triggered worldwide revulsion and Washington has since declared it is at war with the radicals. The United States has a policy of never paying ransoms, contending that doing so would endanger Americans all over the world. Late Friday, a spokesman for Sotloff's family said the murdered journalist's parents were told by a White House counterterrorism official last...