WAR: American Hostage Paul Johnson Beheaded; Video of Act Reported -- GRAPHIC CONTENT

A week after being captured in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, American hostage Paul Johnson, age 49, has been beheaded by his captors. A statement from the group holding him hostage has been posted on an Al Qaeda website al Islah along with photos and, reportedly, video of the act.
Three photos on the website show Mr. Johnson's severed head resting on his body.
Both video and photos are described as "horrific" and "graphic."
The video is described as showing Mr. Johnson's head placed on his back, and a large knife "stuck in his eye."
Paul Johnson's decapitated body has been found in the streets of east Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the Mowansiyah district. Saudi officials have not indicated if the entirety of Mr. Johnson's remains were found or if the remains were partial.

Sky.com

A link to the photos posted to the al Islah website is provided below. Please be advised that the photos are extremely graphic and care should be taken before viewing them.

A translation of the statement posted with the photos follows:
Source - Voice of Jihad publication Voice of the Mujahideen in the Arab Peninsula Subject: Killing of the American Paul Marshall Date: 1/5/1425 [6/18/2004] News Report No. 14 on the beheading of the American prisoner Paul Marshall (Johnson) Thanks to God, and prayer and peace on His messenger, our Prophet Mohammad and His companions and followers.

As promised, and after the expiration of the ultimatum set by the Mujahideen to the Devils in the Saudi Government, the Mujahideen from the Fallujah Detachment beheaded the American prisoner (Paul Marshall [sic]). This infidel received his fair punishment in this world before moving to the other world. He got to taste some of what the Muslims suffered from the Apache American helicopters that grilled them with their fire flames, embers, and missiles. The American infidel was one of four people in charge of the maintenance and system development of those helicopters.

With His help, we shall continue to fight the enemies of God, watching them everywhere, guided by the light of His book, and the law of His prophet, prayer and peace on Him. We shall put out the fire in the chests of the Believers in Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, the Arab Peninsula, and other Muslim countries. We shall keep humiliating the Polytheists and Blasphemers� soldiers until the erection of a government ruled by the Shari�a, the Justice, and Attawhid. In our journey, we shall not pay attention to put the traitors down, or listen to the cawing of the failures that were disclosed by God in this incident. They shouted in fury for the capture and killing of a Christian soldier while they did not have the courage to say one word of truth in support of the oppressed Muslim prisoners who are being tortured at the hands of the adorers of the cross, and the devils of Abu Ghraib, Al Ha�er, Guantanamo, Al Ruways and other prisons.

As for the Americans and their supporters, blasphemers and criminals who ganged up in their coalition for a war on Islam, this action is an example and a lesson for them to be sure that those of them who came to our country will receive the same fate and God is our guide to the path of righteousness.

Signed: Al Qaeda Organization in the Arab Peninsula

President Bush denounced the killing, calling Mr. Johnson's killers "barbaric people" who are trying to intimidate shake the will of the United States.
Vice President Cheney said, "They have no shame, not a shred of decency, and no mercy. America will hunt down the killers, one by one, and destroy them."
Secretary of State Colin Powell said, "It's an action of barbarism, an action that shows once again what the world is dealing with -- these kind of individuals who would behead somebody or murder somebody in cold blood, an innocent individual who was just trying to help people and trying to do his job."

Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin, the leader of the group behind Mr. Johnson's death, has been killed in raids in Saudi Arabia as he and two other men were disposing of Mr. Johnson's body.

Johnson has been held for nearly a week by a group claiming allegiance to Al Qaeda. He was captured in Riyadh on June 12th. His captors issued a video of a bound and blindfolded Johnson along with a statement that Johnson would be executed in 72 hours if prisoners were not released from Saudi Arabian prisons.

The FBI sent a team to Saudi Arabia to try and locate Mr. Johnson. They are now reportedly working to find the group responsible for his death.

Related News Stories:
Reuters
Reuters - Paul Johnson's Body Found

Related ATSNN Stories:
Group Threatens to Execute American Hostage Paul Johnson
Al Qaeda Group Leader Killed in Saudi Arabia While Disposing of Johnson's Body

Related ATS Discussion:
Saudi Letter Pleads for the life of the American Hostage




WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES
Links to images of the beheading:
paul_johnson_1


[edit on 18-6-2004 by Banshee]

[edit on 20-6-2004 by John bull 1]

[edit on 20-6-2004 by SkepticOverlord]

I feel sick. Thanks for the info.

[edit on 18-6-2004 by Indy]

Lets all pray for his family. - Was

If this turns out to be true...my condolences to the family especially near Father's Day!!!! snif, snif, snif!!!

Soon, I believe they will release a video of this disgusting act as well.

Perhaps US news agencies will show a little respect to the families and now to a blow by blow about how he struggled like they did with Berg.

I just heard this on the news...... they haven't confirmed.... but they're pretty sure...

bastards... sick sick sick....

What are we going to do about this? What is this the third person killed this way?



Edit. Confirmed. He's dead. Poor family.... *shakes head*

[edit on 18-6-2004 by God]

Photos posted on an islamic website somewhere - Reuters

I need someone to try and find these, please while I work on this story.
Thx.

Damn it ! When is it going to be enough ?

Get the hell out of there and let's bring our troops home and make sure that all of the Civilians there know that we're leaving and that they should too.

I have to say I feel I personally am reaching a new level of disgust. Not only to kill someone but to do so in such a violent way, ensuring that the person suffers horribly before dying.

Maybe I need to re-think my position and vote for whomever promises to hunt these sickos down and brutally kill them. Make them wish we threw them in an Iraqi prison by the time we are done with them.

Oh and Tora Bora, blacken the place, warn the people, given them one way out, check to make sure they are not terrorist and just drop the big bomb over that desolate region. Maybe we would get lucky

DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda militants beheaded an American engineer they had held hostage since last week, Al Arabiya television reported Friday.
The network was quoting its correspondent in Saudi Arabia and gave no further details. Al Qaeda had given the Saudi government a Friday deadline to free jailed militants or it would kill Paul Johnson.

So sad. Chalk this death up to one of the many caused by organized religion. I feel so bad for the family.

These people claim to be from the "religion of peace"?

Originally posted by elevatedone
Damn it ! When is it going to be enough ?

Get the hell out of there and let's bring our troops home and make sure that all of the Civilians there know that we're leaving and that they should too.

Screw that, this is a war people. What do you expect. I think if the Saudi's and other middle east nations don't want this spiralling out of control they better get off their butts real soon. I don't see things chaging much and soon we may be taking a page from the Isrealies book on how to deal with Al-Quada.

Heaven help the innocents

MORE:




heres a statement that has just come out



As we promised the mujahideen, we have beheaded the American hostage Paul Marshall after the deadline that the mujahideen gave to the tyrannical Saudi government passed," a statement signed by the Organization of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula said on al Islah Web site.

The Web site also showed pictures of what appeared to be his severed head.




[edit on 18-6-2004 by asala]

How many more beheadings will it take?

Here how most people react:

1. Anger = Nuke 'Em
2. Sadness = Sympathy for family
3. Outrage = Why are we over there in the first place.

All because of oil? The stage is set for WWIII. How many more times will the American people stand to hear of this. Yeah, the prison abuses were uncalled for, but this is ridiculous. They (terroists) know that we're going to get pissed off. Where's the sleeping giant when you need 'em. There's lots of sand over there. How about making some of it a parking lot for the 10,000 years.

Well, here's an idea. The saudi government should release a statement that if the terrorists don't free Paul than they will get their militants back, dead and their corpses will be dumped and covered in pigs blood.

CBS has just picked up the headline, but no confirmation. Very sad thing indeed.

Well, here's an idea. The saudi government should release a statement that if the terrorists don't free Paul than they will get their militants back, dead and their corpses will be dumped and covered in pigs blood.

NEIN says they have the images but they aren't posting them yet.

18 June 2004 - Paul Johnson Murdered, Beheaded by Al Qaeda of Saudi Arabia

Images obtained from a known Al Qaeda website show the results of the beheading of American contractor Paul Johnson.

We have the images in our possesion but at this time we are not placing them on the website.

developing...

www.homelandsecurityus.com...