Qatar strongly condemned Thursday the murder of U.S. journalist James Foley by the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) in Syria, describing it as "a heinous crime that goes against all Islamic and humanitarian principles, as well as international laws and conventions," local media reported.
In a statement, Qatari foreign ministry expressed deep sorrow for Foley's loss, expressing at the same time condolences to the family of the slain journalist, according to Qatar News Agency (QNA).
The ministry also described Foley as a courageous person in conveying the truth from the most dangerous locations in the world, including the suffering of Syrians, added QNA.
A veteran reporter, Foley, 40, was kidnapped near the town of Taftanaz, north Syria, on November 22, 2012.
He covered the conflict in Libya in 2011 before going to Syria to cover the uprising against the Assad regime for the US news site GlobalPost, the French news agency AFP and other media. His is the first execution of a foreign journalist to be claimed by the ISIL which has killed Syrian journalists in recent months.