On Thursday, President Barack Obama visited the family members of American journalist Steven Sotloff, who was abducted and decapitated by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants in Syria last year, Reuters reports.
Obama expressed his condolences to Sotloff's parents, Arthur and Shirley, and his sister, Lauren. The president decided to make the visit, which was not on his public schedule, while he was in Florida for fundraising and a briefing at the National Hurricane Center.
"He appreciated the chance to hear from the Sotloffs more about Steven's work as a journalist, including his passion for bringing the stories of people who are suffering to the rest of the world in the hope of making a positive difference, including in Syria," said National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan, according to International Business Times.
Sotloff reported across the Middle East for Time magazine, covering events from Libya. ISIS operatives in Syria captured Sotloff in August 2013. Last September, the terrorist organization released a video that showed the beheading of the 31-year-old.
After facing a lot of criticism from family members of American hostages executed by terrorists, the White House has been reviewing its hostage policy for the last six months. The review is "nearing completion." However, the policy regarding not paying ransoms to hostage-takers will stay unchanged, according to the White House press secretary, Josh Earnest, ABC News reported.
