Shaheen Statement on Sentencing of ISIS Terrorist, Murderer of NH Journalist James Foley
(Manchester, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) –?a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee?– issued the following statement after one of the ISIS terrorists charged with murdering New Hampshire journalist James Foley was?sentenced to life in prison:
“Today is an emotional day for the Foleys, Muellers, Kassigs and Sotloffs, but it is one they have fought hard for.?My thoughts are with them and their loved ones.?I know this is an especially difficult day for the Foleys, with the sentencing of James’ murderer coinciding with the 8-year anniversary of James’ death,” said Shaheen. “Ensuring that James, Kayla, Peter and Steven’s killers face the full weight of the U.S. justice system has long been a top priority for me.?Today our nation reaffirmed that the United States will always pursue justice and?hunt down terrorists who harm American citizens.?But this moment is also?the fulfillment of a personal?promise to bring solace and closure to impacted families. Victims’ families have endured the unimaginable and the U.S. government?must?stop at nothing to bring these terrorists to justice. This is a step forward toward that goal, but our work to ensure all who’ve committed these heinous crimes pay a price goes on.”??
Senator Shaheen has worked closely with the family of James Foley, an American journalist and Granite Stater who was viciously murdered by ISIS jihadists. Shaheen has fought to ensure that ISIS terrorists culpable in Foley’s murder, as well as other U.S. citizens, are brought to trial?in the United States. Shaheen has led calls for this on behalf of the family members of James Foley, Peter Kassig, Steven Sotloff and Kayla Mueller, four Americans killed at the hands of ISIS jihadists.
Shaheen successfully included language in the fiscal year (FY) 2020 defense authorization legislation to establish?an ISIS Detainee Coordinator position within the Executive Branch?to?lead all diplomatic engagements and planning regarding?detainees. In 2018, Senator Shaheen visited northeast Syria to view the detention facilities housing ISIS terrorists. The creation of this role was originally a recommendation of the Syria Study Group’s (SSG) interim report. The final report was released in 2019. Shaheen established the Syria Study Group in the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that was signed into law in 2018. The Syria Study Group was a bipartisan panel created with the purpose of completing a comprehensive strategic review of America’s policy in Syria.?
