The United States denied the allegations made Friday by the mother of slain American journalist James Foley that the government did not take proper action to rescue her son.
Diane Foley told CNN Thursday that the government threatened legal action against the family if they attempted to collect ransom to release her son from the Islamic State. She said that she was "embarrassed and appalled" by the government's inaction and that the matter did not seem to be in the government's strategic interest.
Spokesman Josh Earnest said the White House was "in regular touch with the Foley family" to provide updates and to communicate the kidnapped journalist's "return and his rescue continued to be a priority of this administration," reports Al Arabiya, citing Agence France-Presse.
He also explained the government's stance on raising ransom for captives. According to Earnest, the U.S. policy does not allow paying ransoms as it "only puts other Americans in a position where they're at even greater risk." He also said President Barack Obama used "every tool at our disposal" to try and free Foley, including a "high-risk" military rescue attempt.
CNN reported that Secretary of State John Kerry was in fact "taken aback" by the allegations. "Let me just say that I am really taken aback --surprised, I guess, is the word - by this comment with respect to the Foley family."
"I can tell you that I am totally unaware and would not condone anybody that I know of within the State Department making such statements," Kerry told reporters in Turkey, where he was working to build a coalition to combat IS. He also said that he along with the government tried to reach out to "country after country" to rescue Foley. "Tragically, obviously, we were not successful in finding them. So my heart goes out to the family."
According to State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf, authorities worked to help the family understand the laws. However, she said, "This department would never, and did not ever, intend to, nor do we think we ever did anything that we would consider threatening."
Foley was beheaded by IS militants and his death was revealed Aug. 19 in a video issued by the IS. He was abducted in Syria Nov. 22, 2012.
