Islamic State of Iraq and Syria insurgents released a video on Tuesday purportedly showing the beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley, who had gone missing in Syria nearly two years ago.


The video, titled "A Message To America," was posted on social media sites. It was not immediately possible to verify.



According to an FBI missing persons alert, Foley had employed a translator to help him travel across the Syrian-Turkish border in late 2012. The translator was also taken, but later released.


A Twitter account set up by his family to help find him, was aware of the latest development, stating: "We know that many of you are looking for confirmation or answers. Please be patient until we all have more information, and keep the Foleys in your thoughts and prayers."


ISIS's sweep through northern Iraq, bringing it close to Baghdad and in control of the second city, Mosul, drew U.S. air strikes on the country for the first time since the end of the American occupation in 2011.


The Sunni militant group has declared a caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria in areas it controls.


On Monday, ISIS claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of a Japanese national in Syria.


Foley, a freelance journalist working for the international news website GlobalPost, had been captured before while reporting in a conflict zone. He was among four journalists held in Libya in early 2011, all of whom were subsequently released.



With files from CBC News