Photojournalist James Foley at the airport in Tripoli, Libya, August 2011. Photo by Jonathan Pedneault
Microblogging site Twitter is suspending the accounts of users who share graphic images or footage of the alleged beheading of American photojournalist James Foley in Syria.
Twitter CEO Dick Costolo announced the move in a tweet via his own account this morning.
Costolo’s message follows other Twitter users calling on people not to share the video, titled ‘A Message To America’.
The video, which had been posted on video-sharing site YouTube on Tuesday night, The Telegraph reported, then began appearing on Twitter as users shared the footage.
We have been and are actively suspending accounts as we discover them related to this graphic imagery. Thank you https://t.co/jaYQBKVbBF
— dick costolo (@dickc) August 20, 2014
The video purported to show an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (IS) member beheading 40-year-old Foley.
The video also contained images of another American journalist, Steven Sotloff. Insurgents said his life depends on US action in Iraq. Sotloff went missing in northern Syria in July 2013.
It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the video but the White House has said US intelligence agents are working to determine whether the video is actually real.
Foley’s family has also taken to Twitter, urging others to be patient in the search for answers.
We know that many of you are looking for confirmation or answers. Please be patient until we all have more… http://t.co/3iLuMqpurG
— Find James Foley (@findjamesfoley) August 19, 2014
