The US, UK and France have expressed abhorrence at the apparent beheading of American journalist James Foley by an Islamic State (IS) militant.
The jihadist group released a video of Foley, missing in Syria since 2012, saying his killing was revenge for US air strikes on its fighters in Iraq, reports GHn based on BBC.
France said, if confirmed, it was barbaric; the UK said it was depraved.
Foley's mother Diane said he "gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people."
President Barack Obama is due to give a statement later. But White House National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said: "If genuine, we are appalled by the brutal murder of an innocent American journalist."
Foley, 40, has reported extensively across the Middle East, working for US publication GlobalPost and other media outlets including French news agency AFP.
In a statement, GlobalPost asked for "prayers for Jim and his family", adding that it was waiting for the video to be verified.