Last US Islamic State hostage Kayla Mueller confirmed dead

[webfact]

Parents of American woman held by IS notified of her death
By DEB RIECHMANN and JULIE PACE

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kayla Jean Mueller, a 26-year-old American woman held by Islamic State militants, has been confirmed dead, her parents and the Obama administration said Tuesday.

Mueller's family received a private message from her captors over the weekend and the information contained in that communication was authenticated by the U.S. The White House said the U.S. intelligence community has not been able to determine how or when she died.

"We are heartbroken to share that we've received confirmation that Kayla Jean Mueller, has lost her life," Carl and Marsha Mueller said in a statement. "Kayla was a compassionate and devoted humanitarian. She dedicated the whole of her young life to helping those in need of freedom, justice, and peace."

President Barack Obama said that Mueller, an aid worker who assisted humanitarian organizations working with Syrian refugees, "epitomized all that is good in our world."

"No matter how long it takes, the United States will find and bring to justice the terrorists who are responsible for Kayla's captivity and death," the president said.

The White House said Obama had spoken with Mueller's parents and offered his condolences and prayers.

Mueller, of Prescott, Arizona, is the fourth American to die while being held by Islamic State militants. Three other Americans — journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and aid worker Peter Kassig — were beheaded by the group.

Journalist Austin Tice, of Houston, Texas, disappeared in August 2012 while covering Syria's civil war. It's not clear what entity is holding him, but it is not believed to be the Islamic State group or the Syrian government, his family has said.

Mueller was taken into captivity in August 2013 while leaving a hospital in Syria. Her identity was long kept secret out of fears for her safety.

On Friday, the Islamic State had claimed that Mueller died in a Jordanian airstrike. Jordan, which has launched a barrage of strikes in recent days in retaliation for the gruesome killing of one of its pilots at the hands of the militants, disputed that report.

In the U.S., there was growing certainty that the claim from IS was false. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that Jordan's airstrikes had targeted an IS weapons compound near the group's stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria that had been targeted before, and that there was no evidence that civilians were in the area ahead of the strike.

Added a U.S. intelligence official: "She was not killed in that airstrike."

Mueller's parents released a letter Tuesday that their daughter had written them while in captivity. In the undated letter, Mueller said she was, "in a safe location, completely unharmed."

"I am also fighting from my side in the ways I am able + I have a lot of fight left inside of me," she wrote. "I am not breaking down + I will not give in no matter how long it takes."

Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. was "unshaken" in its resolve to defeat the Islamic State, a group he called an "ugly insult to the civilized world."

Republican Sen. John McCain, who represents Mueller's home state of Arizona, said, "The thoughts and prayers of the people of Arizona, America, and the civilized world are with the Mueller family at this terrible hour."

Mueller's family said she graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2011 after just two-and-a-half years. In December 2012, she traveled to the Turkish-Syrian border to work with several humanitarian groups, including Support to Life and the Danish Refugee Council.

Mueller had also worked for aid groups in India, Israel and the Palestinian territories, as well as at an HIV/AIDS clinic and women's shelter in Arizona.

"We are so proud of the person Kayla was and the work that she did while she was here with us. She lived with purpose, and we will work every day to honor her legacy," Mueller's family said.
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AP Intelligence Writer Ken Dilanian contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-11

[Mosha]

If she was the last American, how many others are left?

[Dannyboy666]

I wonder which Merciful way , they killed her...

[Seastallion]

Now US, follow Jordan's lead and don't just fight ISIS, but punish them severely. No mercy. Teach extremists that payback WILL happen. Make them scared.

[RT555]

Do these people realize THIS IS WAR? IT IS NOT A CHARITY EVENT OR A PAJAMA PARTY. I blame the US government, parents and friends who are sitting home in Arizona,,,,,,

3 years ago while I was working i the UAE, a co-workers (from Syria) brother was stopped on a highway in Syria. He was an engineer, they demanded 1 million USD..........the company gave 200,000 and 3 months later he was freed.

[kinmaew]

When will they get it through their thick heads. The same country destroying their country and causing angst, but hold on, we are from that same country but "Helping" they don't want your help go at your own peril.

[Morch]

Now US, follow Jordan's lead and don't just fight ISIS, but punish them severely. No mercy. Teach extremists that payback WILL happen. Make them scared.

Jordan's "lead"? How does Jordan lead the coalition? How are their sorties different than the USA's? Who carries most of the burden of fighting? Who chaperones the Jordanian sorties?

[bushmill]

Now US, follow Jordan's lead and don't just fight ISIS, but punish them severely. No mercy. Teach extremists that payback WILL happen. Make them scared.

Obama and hi mates they've got no balls in their pants and like shit for diplomatic reasons better in the pants

Edited February 11, 2015 by bushmill

[Seastallion]

Now US, follow Jordan's lead and don't just fight ISIS, but punish them severely. No mercy. Teach extremists that payback WILL happen. Make them scared.

Jordan's "lead"? How does Jordan lead the coalition? How are their sorties different than the USA's? Who carries most of the burden of fighting? Who chaperones the Jordanian sorties?

Don't play with words again, Morch, it distracts from the discussion.

"Lead" as in the card playing term (I think) in which someone goes first and other players follow. Not "lead" as in leadership.

In case you were unaware of the recent news, Jordan retaliated against ISIS specifically in retaliation for their pilot. They stepped up sorties and announced it's retaliation, as distinct from ongoing battle.

[Morch]

Now US, follow Jordan's lead and don't just fight ISIS, but punish them severely. No mercy. Teach extremists that payback WILL happen. Make them scared.

Jordan's "lead"? How does Jordan lead the coalition? How are their sorties different than the USA's? Who carries most of the burden of fighting? Who chaperones the Jordanian sorties?

Don't play with words again, Morch, it distracts from the discussion.

"Lead" as in the card playing term (I think) in which someone goes first and other players follow. Not "lead" as in leadership.

In case you were unaware of the recent news, Jordan retaliated against ISIS specifically in retaliation for their pilot. They stepped up sorties and announced it's retaliation, as distinct from ongoing battle.

I was not playing with words. Use lead in whatever sense you wish - still doesn't fit the bill.

And the one not following the news is apparently you - even with stepping up operations, the Jordanian sorties are not very significant compared to the effort invested by the USA. The Jordanian sorties were escorted and supported by USA aircraft, and no doubt, intelligence. The stepping up is relative to the Jordanian effort so far, not relative to the USA's.

Edited February 11, 2015 by Morch

[Jonmarleesco]

Well, one thing is certain: Isis is intent on getting its way, or having the consequences dropped onto it from a great height. Since getting its way clearly means its word is the rest of the world's achilles heel, that leaves eliminating its very existence.

[Gweiloman]

Now US, follow Jordan's lead and don't just fight ISIS, but punish them severely. No mercy. Teach extremists that payback WILL happen. Make them scared.

Make them scared.

They are not afraid of dying. How do you propose to scare them? Tickle them to death? Cut off their d**ks so that all they can do is watch the virgins dance?

[englishoak]

Now US, follow Jordan's lead and don't just fight ISIS, but punish them severely. No mercy. Teach extremists that payback WILL happen. Make them scared.

Make them scared.

They are not afraid of dying. How do you propose to scare them? Tickle them to death? Cut off their d**ks so that all they can do is watch the virgins dance?

Depends im sure a creative and appropriate tattoo would bother them since most Muslims consider tattoos Haram, depending on the image, on their forehead or face for all to see would be pretty irritating.

Or if the gloves are going to come off then any dead terrorists corpse, executed or killed, including suicide bombers remains to be gathered up put in in a grave doused in pig fat buried in a pigs carcass alongside dog corpses.

Shahidi (Jihad martyrs) believe by their nefarious acts that they ascend immediately to heaven. Using their beliefs against them, wrapping their corpses in 'unclean' pigskin prevents them from entering heaven for eternity.

After all if real Muslims couldn't possibly be terrorists its not like its insulting Islam.

[Berkshire]

Just read an article today about this woman's death. What's really odd is this statement:

"Mueller's boyfriend, who was captured with her but later released, posed as her husband and risked his life trying to rescue her from a terrorist training camp in Syria, the spokeswoman said. He still talks with the family."

ISIS let the BF go? Bizarre.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/11/world/isis-mueller/index.html