Members of the ISIS-affiliated Algerian terror group Jund al-Khilafa, or Caliphate Soldiers, released a video Wednesday apparently showing the execution of French tourist Herve Gourdel. The 55-year-old was captured Sunday while traveling in Algeria.
Earlier this week, the Caliphate Soldiers released a grainy video threatening Gourdel’s life if France did not cease its operations against ISIS within 24 hours. (The country began bombing ISIS last week.) In the video, the men said they were responding to the requests of shadowy ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
French leaders refused the group’s ultimatum, and international strikes on the group continued.
The Algerian kidnapping and execution is low-tech and easily replicable, and seems similar to a plot allegedly foiled by Australian police forces earlier this month. Police raided dozens of homes citing suspicions that Australian ISIS affiliates were planning to kidnap individuals at random from the street, execute them, and send video evidence to ISIS for release. At that time, Australian prime minister Tony Abbott said the plan had moved from suspicion to intent.
