James Foley's mother says the government threatened his family to not pay ransom

[pwaldo]

http://news.yahoo.com/james-foleys-m...182735673.html

Diane Foley, James Foley's mother, offered a rare interview to ABC News this week in which she admitted the family considered a ransom payment to ISIS to secure her son's safe return. However, she also says White House officials told the family they would face criminal charges for supporting terrorism in the event a ransom was paid. The message came directly from a high-ranking military official on the White House National Security Council. The last threat came just days before the video of Foley's beheading surfaced.

"We were told that several times and we took it as a threat and it was appalling," Diane Foley told ABC News, "Three times he intimidated us with that message. We were horrified he would say that. He just told us we would be prosecuted. We knew we had to save our son, we had to try." Michael Foley, James Foley's brother, said he, like his mother, was also "directly" threatened by a State Department official with the same charge.

Another official with knowledge of the threat spoke to ABC under the condition of anonymity, saying "It was an utterly idiotic thing to do that came across as if he had the compassion of an anvil." A second official said the NSC officer "had no business speaking about legal issues he was unqualified to discuss."

[stlcardinalsfan]

everything ive seen about his family especially his mother is extremely fishing and terrrrrible acting,especially what was on cbs news tonight.

read an article claiming he was an assad agent . itd make more sense then half of the crap thats came out lately

[duane1969]

The story already has holes. That article says they were threatened if they paid the ransom. HuffPost says they were threatened if they even tried to raise the ransom money LINK.

I always find it a bit suspicious when someone says a "government official" said/did something. If you are going to go on national television and make that type of accusation at least have the spine to name the person who said/did it.

[GroundSupport]

The story already has holes. That article says they were threatened if they paid the ransom. HuffPost says they were threatened if they even tried to raise the ransom money LINK.

I always find it a bit suspicious when someone says a "government official" said/did something. If you are going to go on national television and make that type of accusation at least have the spine to name the person who said/did it.

I can agree, but if you don't who that person is?? The Goverment knows how to cover their arse.

[duane1969]

I can agree, but if you don't who that person is?? The Goverment knows how to cover their arse.

Seems to me that if a "White House official" threatened you then you would know who they are. If some anonymous person called me claiming to be a "White House official" and threatened me I would tell them where to shove it. For it to be a credible threat there has to be some assumption that the person making the threat has the authority to back it up which would mean you know who that person is.

[GroundSupport]

Seems to me that if a "White House official" threatened you then you would know who they are. If some anonymous person called me claiming to be a "White House official" and threatened me I would tell them where to shove it. For it to be a credible threat there has to be some assumption that the person making the threat has the authority to back it up which would mean you know who that person is.

If someone showed up in black suits and in a government vehicle and threatens you not to do something, are you going to demand their names?

I suppose it will all depend on how intiminated you're, and you know they're son was still alive so they probably listened.

[shrewsbury]

If someone showed up in black suits and in a government vehicle and threatens you not to do something, are you going to demand their names?

I would demand ID, if not provided, then I call the cops and kick them off my property.

[deansayso]

Didn't watch the video but heard that they never showed the beheading just the head on the body afterwards?

This whole thing is sketchy to me.

Bush had his "WMDs", Obama has his "Beheadings"

[GroundSupport]

I would demand ID, if not provided, then I call the cops and kick them off my property.

As would I, however, we both don't know what it feels like to have a son held by terrorists demanding ransoms for his life...

We don't know what was said to them. We don't know what they felt. I'd imagine they were emotionally wrecked.

[duane1969]

If someone showed up in black suits and in a government vehicle and threatens you not to do something, are you going to demand their names?

I suppose it will all depend on how intiminated you're, and you know they're son was still alive so they probably listened.

Men in black suits are not White House officials.

I would demand ID, if not provided, then I call the cops and kick them off my property.

Same for me. Don't tell me you are someone important and expect me to just go all sheeple and comply. Show me ID or make a hasty retreat off of my property.