Association for Defending Victims of Terrorism – Mother of James Foley – who was kidnapped and beheaded by ISIS ‘Beatles’ – reveals she’s MET one of the extremists in prison and that he came ‘very close’ to apologizing
Diane Foley’s son, journalist James Foley, was kidnapped by the ISIS group and later beheaded
Foley visited one of her son’s captors – Alexanda Kotey – in prison, where she says he seemed to be feeling remorse, while explaining to her his motivations
Kotey – a British native serving life in prison in the US – agreed to meet with his victims’ families as a part of a plea deal that would transfer him to a British prison
A mother visited the ISIS kidnapper responsible for her murdered son’s abduction in prison – and said he came close to apologizing to her.
Diane Foley visited Alexanda Kotey, 38, at his Virginia jail after the so-called ISIS Beatle was jailed for life in April for helping kidnap, torture and execute hostages in Syria, including Diane’s journalist son James, The Times of London reported.
Speaking at a conference at King’s College in London, Foley said Kotey had ‘come very close’ to apologizing to her for his role in her son’s beheading at the hands of infamous ISIS killer Jihadi John, and that ‘he’s expressed a lot of remorse.’
Kotey – who is currently incarcerated in Alexandria, Virginia – agreed to visit with family members of his victims as a part of a plea deal that would see him transferred to a British prison after serving fifteen years in the US.
Diane Foley’s son, James Foley, was kidnapped and beheaded by an ISIS group known as the ‘ISIS Beatles’
Diane Foley’s son, James Foley, was kidnapped and beheaded by an ISIS group known as the ‘ISIS Beatles’
After visiting with him in prison, Foley said that Kotey seemed to be working his way towards feeling sorry for his actions.
‘He’s written me a couple of letters filled with remorse and his attempt at justifying his actions,’ Foley, ‘And, to me, forgiving oneself, forgiving others, is always a long process. It’s nothing quick, but yes, he’s come very close.’
‘Who knows if he’s telling the truth to me, but at least it’s given him something to think about, to recognize what he did to people who were really innocent victims themselves.’
Foley said that the terrorist explained to her how he became radicalized, and brought up the the mistreatment of Muslims.
‘I tried to be a good listener, tried to hear his side of things and how he became radicalized and how he came to see our innocent citizens as evil and the cause for all the pain and suffering that they may have felt,’ she said, ‘It’s very poignant to see how everyone lost. When hatred reigns, everyone loses.
‘It’s been a very, very sad experience all around to be honest, but I’m hoping that, maybe, in time, we can get some reconciliation.’
James Foley was kidnapped by the terror group known as the ISIS Beatles. He was beheaded in a video that the terror group circulated on the internet