WASHINGTON
A spokesman for the family of a U.S. journalist killed by Islamic State (IS) militants claims they have information that he was sold by moderate Syrian opposition fighters to the terror group before he was beheaded.
Barak Barfi, a representative for the family of Steven Sotloff, has said that moderate Syrian opposition fighters sold the 31-year-old to IS for $25,000 to $50,000.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest gave a noncommittal answer to the claims at a White House press briefing Tuesday.
"As it relates to the specifics of this matter, based on the information that has been provided to me, I don’t believe that is accurate," he said.
He added that the claim is currently subject to an FBI investigation.
"So this is something that they’re looking into all aspects of this, including how Mr. Sotloff may have come into the hands of ISIL."
Islamic State was formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL.
Family representative Barfi told CNN on Tuesday that sources on the ground told the family that Sotloff had just crossed the Syrian border when rebels who were “supposedly moderate” stopped his group.
However, Earnest said the IS is the only group to be hold responsible for the killing, as they had claimed responsibility for the brutal beheading.
Prior to Sotloff’s killing, IS militants released a video on the Internet that showed the beheading of another American journalist, James Foley. Sotloff was also shown in the video, a militant saying he would be killed if the U.S. did not stop strikes against the group in Iraq.
In Sotloff's video - also released on the Internet - the group threatens to kill a British national if the U.K. does not stop cooperating with the U.S. against the insurgent group.
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