Second Journalist Seen In ISIS Video Also Has NH Ties
MANCHESTER, NH (CBS) - The second journalist seen in the brutal ISIS video, like James Foley, also has ties to New Hampshire.
Steven Sotloff graduated from Kimball Union Academy, a private boarding school in Meriden.
School officials confirm he was in the Class of 2002.
The Islamic militants have threatened to take his life next.
"We beg compassion and mercy of Jim's captors for Steven Sotloff and for the other captives," said John and Diane Foley, parents of James Foley. "They never hurt anybody, they were trying to help."
James Foley is the journalist in the video who was beheaded by the militants. His parents live in Rochester, New Hampshire.
Even as they mourn their son's devastating death, the Foleys were thinking of Sotloff at their heartbreaking press conference on Wednesday.
They spoke to President Obama about Steven as well.
"And we pleaded for Steve Sotloff and the other prisoners," said John Foley. "We asked him to do whatever he could possibly do to save their lives, buy time."
School officials at Kimball Union declined to talk about Steven Sotloff in detail, but say he's been a very active member of the alumni association.
He was most recently on campus in 2012 to take part in a workshop about the Arab Spring.
The Foleys say the President told them what had been done to save Jim. They're hoping more can be done for Sotloff and the other captives.
"We appreciated that, knowing the things they tried and we thanked him but we begged that they might consider other ways of dealing such that Steven and the others might be spared," said Diane Foley.
An online petition is asking for help from the White House.
"We, the undersigned call upon you President Obama, to take immediate action to save Steven's life by any means necessary," reads part of the petition.
Sotloff's family has not spoken publicly since Steve was kidnapped last August.
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