WARNING: Graphic James Wright Foley BEHEADING Video by ISIS Authentic says US officials, Prompts Controversy [VIDEO/Pics]

FILE - In this Friday, May 27, 2011, file photo, journalist James Foley responds to questions during an interview with The Associated Press, in Boston. A video by Islamic State militants that purports to show the killing of Foley by the militant group was released Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2014. Foley, from Rochester, N.H., went missing in 2012 in northern Syria while on assignment for Agence France-Press and the Boston-based media company GlobalPost. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

JAMES WRIGHT FOLEY
Alias:Jim Foley

DESCRIPTION:
Date of Birth: October 18, 1973
Height: 185 cm (6'1")
Weight: 83 kg (185 pounds)
Build: Thin
Occupation: Freelance photo journalist
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Complexion: Medium
Sex: Male
Race: White
Citizenship: United States
Languages: English;Arabic (not fluent)

THE DETAILS On November 22, 2012, James Wright Foley, a freelance photo journalist, was taken by an organized gang after departing from an internet café in Binesh, Syria. Foley had employed a translator to help him travel across the Syrian-Turkish border. The translator was also taken, but later released.

Mikhael Love, IIO

ISIS released a video bragging about how they have beheaded U.S. freelance journalist James Foley, who was taken prisoner in Syria in 2012. Another U.S. journalist shown in the video who is believed to be Steven Sotloff, was captured at the Syria-Turkey border in 2013. ISIS stated that he will be killed as well, if the U.S. does not comply with all of their demands.

One U.S. official said the video appeared to be authentic, and two other U.S. officials said the victim was Foley. All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the killing by name.

The grisly video which was originally released Tuesday, shows Islamic State militants beheading American journalist James Foley. His death according U.S. officials was, in what the extremists called retribution for recent U.S. airstrikes in Iraq. The militants threatened to kill another captive they also identified as an American journalist.

Separately, Foley's family confirmed his death in a statement posted on a Facebook page that was created to rally support for his release, saying they "have never been prouder of him."

FILE PHOTO: Campaigning: John and Diane Foley, pictured, parents of journalist James Foley, previously campaigned for his release when he was held in Libya. They are now asking he be released from captivity in Syria where he has been held since Thanksgiving Day

Although the video is authentic, skeptics on Reddit exist with pointing out some disturbing features in the video which caused them to doubt the video’s authenticity. One Reddit user, tacoram, felt that the video seemed strange overall and wanted others’ opinions on the video.

Reddit user digitom responded with a graphic description of the beheading:

“The knife slices back and forth 7 times before the fade out. No blood. No spraying. It’s also extremely odd they fade to black. Why the hell would they do that? After hitting the carotid artery blood should have been spraying for a good couple of heart pumps. Can’t really prove it either way. Still very strange.”

Redditor Ribtickler98 agreed that the video was disturbing in more ways than one.

“I’m keeping an open mind but it really seems against what terrorist beheading videos usually are. I feel like they always want to show you the actually [sic] beheading rather than cut away from it…Also, this seems a little over produced and the fact that the ending frame of the video is a picture of this guy, rahter than a video does not sit right with me. I don’t know, all of reddit is now in bloodthirst war mode and I think it’s a little too convenient. America is out for blood. I’m going to keep an eye on this situation.”

However, other Reddit users suggested reasons for the way James Foley seemed to react calmly and without much emotion.

Teslak gave insight to why James Foley may have appeared unemotional at the time of his death.

“He’s been captive since 2012 and has probably been through a number of mock executions, repetitions of this one with varying messages being ‘recorded’. Only this time it was for real. At this point his will to fight have effectively been broken, there’s only so much torture you can endure (even with special training) before you break. A man is just a man, after all.”

Redditor CB_the_cuttlefish believed that James did show some emotion and the look on his face was “wretched” before he was killed. This user gave another reason for the actual beheading edited out of the final video product.

“I don’t know why they faded to black when his head actually came off. Although I have seen them blur out gory parts of dead bodies in the propaganda videos they make. They probably want people to focus more on the speech than the gore. They are probably aware that a lot of people who hate what ISIS stands for only watch the videos because they like gore and death. I think it is real. I don’t think they could logically pull of a hoax of that magnitude.”

While many hope that the video is indeed fake and that the journalist could possibly be alive, James Foley’s family, friends, and colleagues are mourning the loss of his life.

James Foley's parents and grandmother, Olga Wright, pictured left, held a vigil that was being held for his release when he was captured in Libya.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists estimated Tuesday that about 20 journalists are missing in Syria, and has not released their nationalities. In its annual report last November, CPJ concluded that the missing journalists are either being held and threatened with death by extremists, or taken captive by gangs seeking ransom. The group's report described the widespread seizure of journalists as unprecedented and largely unreported by news organizations in the hope that keeping the kidnappings out of public view may help in the captives' release.

Earlier Tuesday, GlobalPost CEO and co-founder Philip Balboni in a statement asked "for your prayers for Jim and his family." AFP chairman Emmanuel Hoog said the French news agency was "horrified" by the video and called Foley "a brave, independent and impartial journalist."

WARNING: The accompanying video of the ISIS beheading American James Wright Foley might contain content that is not suitable for all ages. Proceed only if you are 18 years and older.

*Viewer Discretion is STRONGLY advised*

RIP James Wright Foley