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Statement on the Death of Japanese Journalist Kenji Goto

February 2, 2015

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) released the following statement following the release of a video by the Islamic State (ISIS) depicting the beheading of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto who had by held captive since October.

“I share the sadness of the Japanese people as they mourn the brutal murders Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa at the hands of their barbaric ISIS captors. Japan’s grief and outrage is shared by the American people as we watched three our own citizens, Abdul-Rahman (Peter) Kassig, James Foley, and Steven Sotloff, brutalized in the same manner. The U.S. and Japan must stand united with the rest of the world community to combat and eliminate ISIS and all extremist groups like them.”