Steven Sotloff's Mother Makes Impassioned Plea for His Release From ISIS
The mother of Steven Sotloff, a U.S. journalist being held by ISIS, released a video appeal for her son's release on Arabian television Wednesday, Aug. 27.
"My son is in your hands," Shirley Sotloff said. "As a mother I ask Your Justice to be merciful and not punish my son for matters he has no control over. I ask you to use your authority to spare his life. Steven is a loyal and generous son, brother and grandson. He's an honorable man and he's always tried to help the weak."
Steven's mother addressed her message to the reported leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi al-Qurashi al-Hussein. She noted that since her son had been taken captive, she had studied Islam and learned that "no individual should be held responsible for the sins of others." In the video released by ISIS last week, the man who beheaded fellow reporter James Foley explained that Foley and Steven would be killed because of the United States' actions against the state.
"The life of this American citizen, Obama, depends on your next decision," the executor said in the video.
"I have always learned that you, the caliph, can grant amnesty," Shirley added. "I ask you to please release my child. As a mother I ask Your Justice to be merciful and not punish my son for matters he has no control over. I ask you to use your authority to spare his life, to follow the example set by the Prophet Mohammed, who protected people of the book. I want what every mother wants, to live to see her children's children. I plead with you to grant me this."
The Sotloff family had been keeping his name out of the press due to threats from ISIS. However, after seeing him in the viral video last week, they have been busy sharing his name, with the hope that public pressure will lead to his freedom.
