British PM says IS beheading video ‘despicable’

British Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday condemned an Islamic State video apparently showing a militant beheading a second US reporter and threatening to kill a British captive as “despicable”.

“If verified, this is a despicable and barbaric murder,” Cameron said in a statement.

“As I have said consistently over the last few weeks, ISIL terrorists speak for no religion. They threaten Syrians, Iraqis, Americans and British people alike and make no distinction between Muslims, Christians or any other faith.”

Cameron expressed his sympathy with the family and friends of reporter Steven Sotloff, the second US journalist to be killed by the group in recent weeks.

The prime minister said he would hold a Cobra emergency meeting on Wednesday to “review these latest developments” and said the government would do all it could to protect its people from the jihadists.