at some point during his captivity, he converted to islam and took on the name abdul rahman.etter drafrted to his parents, he wrote, "if i do die, i figure that at least you and i can seek refuge and comfort in knowing that i went out as a result of trying to alleviate suffering. that is how peter will be remembered. for his humor, laughter, but mostly his drive and compassion, and the way he inspired us all more than he could ever imagine. if you would like to help the syrian refugees log on. here are other top stories we're following for you. two bold terror attacks near the baghdad international airport in iraq. isis is claiming responsibility for one of them. a suicide car bombing. the terror group says the attack was meant for americans leaving the airport and claimed several people were killed and wounded. police have not released any information on the casualties. other explosion hit a u.s. convoy. it's as it was leaving for the green zone. no one was killed or injured. >> the chemical is used to odorize natural gas for safety purposes. neighbors reported smelling the

the president goes on to say abdul-rahman was taken in an act of pure evil from a terrorist group that the world rightly associates with inhumanity. like those before him, his life indeed stands in stark contrast to everything isil represents. while isil revels in the slaughter of innocence including muslims and is bent only on sewing death and destruction, abdul-rahman worked to save those injured. isil's actions represent no faith, least of all the muslim faith, which abdul-rahman adopted as his own. fred, we also just got in a new statement from secretary of state john kerry, and i want to read part that have statement to you as well because he provides some new context to this. he says during his time in captivity his family and the entire government including his home state senator joe donnelly worked to avoid this tragic outcome. his mother's searing plea directed to his kaptors is unforgettable. you may remember a month or so ago his mother took to twitter and really appealed to isis to not do this so her son can could go on doing what he was doing overseas. john kerry goes on t

we are just getting the confirm, abdul rahman, the 26-year-old aide worker has been beheaded by isis.'re just joining us, peter kassig has now been beheaded by isis. isis actually threatened to behead him earlier this month. he was captured about a year ago during a humanitarian mission in syria. we had seen repeated videos from his mother pleading for his release. we heard him described as a passionate young man. this is the fifth western hostage that isis has beheaded so far this year. james foley, sotloff, both u.s. journalists, david haines and allen henning as well. peter kassig was deployed in iraq in 2007 as a u.s. army ranger. he went back to iraq and syria to help war-torn victims. joining me on the line now -- i'm being told we don't have one of our experts just yet. if you're just joining us, we are getting this breaking news that peter kassig, also known as abdul rahman who had been to syria to volunteer has now been beheaded by isis. isis had been threatening to behead him since last month. he was taken captive in october 2013. this beheading also coming days just after g

as a prisoner he converted to islam and took the name abdul rahman. president obama is calling his death an act of pure evil. the 16-minute video shows beheadings of other syrians. they say the video masks a major setback from isis, including the loss of a key oil refinery and death of a top leader. chuck hagel says there's no change in american strategy and the cia is stepping up efforts to train advisers in iraq and syria. over the weekend america bombed 30 isis targets. isis fighters are 200,000, seven times more than current cia estimates. isis claims to be expanding their territory as terror groups in yemen, saudi arabia, egypt, libya and algeria all pledge their allegiance. our focus right now is on peter kassig. nbc news foreign correspondent ayman knew peter. for the implications of all this, we have former white house mideast adviser ambassador mark ginsburg. you knew peter kassig. tell us about him. >> i had the opportunity to meet him in beirut before he went off. this was talk of chemical weapons attack inside syria. a group of foreign jou

at some point during his captivity he converted to islam and took on the name abdul rahman. in this letter drafted to his parents during that time he wrote, if i do die, i figure that at least you and i can seek refuge and comfort in knowing that i went out as a result of trying to alleviate suffering and helping those in need. and that is how peter will be remembered, for his humor, laughter, but mostly his drive and compassion and the way he inspired us all more than he could ever imagine. >> there was this impression, this belief that there is no hope, you know. that's when it's more important than ever that we come in against all odds and try to do something. >> thank you for that story so we can get to know more the man peter was. we're going to talk more about peter kassig's extraordinary life right here in our next hour. meantime this. after days of silence, bill cosby's lawyer is respond iing multiple rape allegations against the comedian. this as cosby prepares to take the stage to perform tonight. our panel weighs in next. (receptionist) gunderman group. gunderman

a while ago we were informed our beloved son, abdul-rahman, no longer walks this earth.till heavy are held up by the love and support that has poured into our lives these last few days. >> one of abdul-rahman's teacher, the mother of some of his friends, wrote before his slaying, if a person can be both a realist and an idealist, then that's peter. peter has earned the right to be both. in 26 years he has witnessed and experienced first hand more of the harsh realities of life than most of us can imagine. but rather than letting the darkness overwhelm him, he has chosen to believe in the good in himself and in others. peter's life is evidence that he has been right all along. one person makes a difference. our hearts are battered but they will mend. the world is broken, but it will be healed in the end. and good will prevail as the one god of many names will prevail. >> please pray for abdul rawman, or pete, if that's how you know him. at sunset this evening. pray also for all people in syria, in iraq, and around the world, that are hell against their will -- held agains

he says, i'm horrified by the cold-blooded murder of abdul rahman kassig.ce again shown depravity. my thoughts are with his family. a statement has been released, saying we are aware of a video that claims to show the murder of u.s. citizen peter kassig by isil. the intelligence community is working as quickly as possible to determine its authenticity. if confirmed, we are appalled by the brutal murder of an innocent american aide worker. we express our deepest condolences to family and friends. >>> more breaking news on this tragic beheading coming up on "new day." thank you so much for joining me, i'm zain asher. >>> so glad to have you with us. i'm christi paul. >> and i'm joe johns. it is 6:00. we begin with breaking news. isis claims to have beheaded peter casic. we see the aftermath of the beheading and the victim is clearly, not recognizable. 26-year-old kasic was once a u.s. army ranger and an iraq war veter veteran. in civilian life, he was an aid worker in syria. that's where he was

he converted to islam and is also named abdul rahman kassig. from his family and we'll continue to get you the latest. there are other stories we have to get with you this morning. >> among those stories, a doctor stricken with ebola is receiving care in a nebraska hospital this morning. he arrived in omaha from sierra leone yesterday. he is now the tenth patient to be treated for the deadly disease in the united states. >> cnn's alex an droo field this reports this victim is a surgeon and he's critically ill. >> a surgeon diagnosed with ebola in his native sierra leone is being treated for ebola here in the u.s. workers in hazmat suits carried him on a stretcher to an ambulance before taking him to the biocontainment unit in omaha. his family says he is a legal permanent resident of the u.s. and he's married to a u.s. citizen. a decision was made to bring him back to the states after his medical team reported he was critically ill and his wife requested to have him flown back here. according to the u.s. state department, his wife agreed to rei

peter, or abdul-rahman kassig was kidnapped while helping refugees. one of his friends will be with us on the program. >>> new pictures of the crash of mh17 in ukraine. what does the video tell us about how the plane came down? >>> and the changing face of the united nations. we meet the female ambassadors making their mark in what's been traditionally a male-dominated club. >>> also in the program, aaron is here and a landmark trade deal between australia and china. >> karin, this is where many aussies would say it is a whopper. a first for these two countries. a free trade deal that will benefit many of australia's famous exports and a deal that will give china greater access to that aussie economy. so stay tuned, we're going to break it down and find out what all of this means for that chinese-australian relationship. >>> hello. midday here in london. 2:00 p.m. here in eastern ukraine. 2:00 p.m. in syria, where the murder of hostages by islamic state militants goes on. a video that emerged over the weekend showed the beheading of american aid worke

>> again, we have on breaking news this morning, isis claims they have killed american hostage abdul rahman casek. isis posted video that shows bee heading of he and other captives. the rid yes has in the yet been confirmed. twenty-six year-old casek is a former u.s. army solder from indiana who was captured last year in syria doing charity work there. casek changed from peter to abdul rahman after convert to go islam. >>> back here at home a deadly accident in south philadelphia a is under investigation this morning. police say a car crashed and wrapped around a pole on columbus boulevard. it happened just before 3:00 this morning. only one vehicle was involve in the crash. the cause of the accident is unclear at this time. >>> police say a ten year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the face in darby continue hip delaware county. it happened last night around 10:30 in the 1400 block of captain hook road. investigators say two siblings were sitting in his father's car in the place at work when the boy shot himself with the 357 magnum gum that was left in the car. >> female juvenile came

while in captivity n a statement his parents said we are heartbroken to learn that our son abdul rahmaneter kassig has lost his life as a result of his love for the syrian people and his desire to ease their suffering: they also released an audio recording of their son talking about his work. >> i was able to share a little bit of hope and comfort with some people. >> reporter: the kassigs plan to speak at a church in indianapolis monday afternoon. wendy gillette for "eyewitness news" on the cw philly. >> well, bill cosby isn't talking about the resurgence of sexual abuse allegations but his attorney s his lawyer released a statement reading in part "the fact that they are being repeated does not make them true. he says the philly born entertainer will not dignify, quote, decade old discreeted allegations with a response. cosby settled a suit back in 2006 which claims he assaulted and drugged women inside his home. he's never been criminally charged. his appearance on the late show has been canceled. >>> crews come back to finish what they started over the summer. the final letters were

abdul-rahman was taken from us in an act of pure evil." >>> travelers arriving in the u.s. from mali starting today will undergo the same ebola screenings as people arriving from west africa. now, that means those passengers will have their temperatures taken, answer questions about their precipitation as well as provide contact information so that they can be monitored for 21 days. now, mali is not experiencing a widespread ebola outbreak, but u.s. health officials are increasingly concerned about a new cluster of illnesses in that country. >>> and the surgeon who contracted ebola while working in sierra leone remains in extremely critical condition at the nebraska medical center in omaha this morning. doctors say they are doing everything possible to help dr. martin salia fight that disease but call it an hour-by-hour situation. salia is the third ebola patient to be treated at that hospital in omaha. the other two recovered. >>> in ferguson, missouri, a grand jury could decide soon if charges will be filed against that officer who shot and killed michael brown. yesterday

this is the story of abdul-rahman kassig. nothing you have seen on tv in the past three or four days is the story of abdul-rahman kassig. this is. those are his parents. this is what he did. he devoted his life to others. a young man who was taken from us in the most barbaric way, yet whose life stands for all that is good in our world. abdul-rahman, peter, we will miss you, catching more fish than your dad ed when you go out fishing together, and then laughing with him and rubbing it in that you caught more than he did. best friends right there. we'll miss you giving your mom paula a big hug and telling your parents how much you love them. folks around the world and every american will miss you terribly, but we'll never forget how kind you were, the sick and injured people you cared for and the sick and injured people you made well. everyone whose hearts you filled with love and with passion and laughter. this was a man. this was a man all hoosiers and everyone else are so proud of, who touched more people and helped more fo

he converted to islam in captivity, taking the name abdul-rahman. president obama released a statement saying "today we offer our prayer and condolences to the family of abdul-rahman kasich, known to us as peter. he was taken from us in an act of pure evil by a terrorist group that the world rightly associates with inhumanity." >>> and the president returns from asia to face off with republicans on immigration and the keystone oil pipeline project. as for foreign policy, lawmakers are facing a november 24th deadline in nuclear negotiations with iran. >>> now your nbc 10 first alert weather with meteorologist bill henley. >> a chilly, steady rain falling for much of the area this morning. that will continue this morning and through this afternoon. north and west, the pocono mountains, we've seen some freezing rain, but it's quickly tapering off. so, improving conditions there, and record cold is on the way this week. there is a potential come wednesday morning. this morning's not exactly warm. 37 in allentown, but it is above freezing, only rain for

at some point during his captivity he converted to islam and took on the name abdul-rahman. in this letter drafted to his parents during that time he wrote, if i do die, i figure that at least you and i can seek refuge and comfort in knowing that i went out as a result of trying to alleviate suffering and helping those in need." and that is how peter will be remembered, for his humor, laughter, but mostly his drive and compassion. and the way he inspired us all more than he could ever imagine. >> there's this impression this, belief that there is no hope, you know, that's when it's more important than ever that we come in against all odds and try to do something. >> well, in this latest video the familiar isis figure is back dressed in all black and speaking what sounds like with an english accent. >> in other ways this video is different from the other ones. atika schubert takes a close look at the discrepancies and what they might mean. >> reporter: well, this video is substantially different from previous hostage killing videos released by isis. peter kassig or abdul-rahm

aid worker abdul-rahman kassig as an act of pure evil. his parents say they are heartbroken at the death of their son, shown in an online video released by jihadists. he had changed his name from peter kassig when he converted to islam in late 2013. >>> the french interior minister has said that there is a strong probability that an islamic state militant who appears on a beheading video is a french citizen. the video shows the beheading of at least 18 syrian men identified as soldiers. >> translator: the video has been analyzed by our intelligence services. this analysis suggests with a very high probability that the french citizen could have directly participated in carrying out these abject acts. the investigations are still going on, but there is a strong presumption that the culprit is max maxim. he traveled to syria in august 2013, following a stay in moratania in 2012. >> along with the murder of kassig and other hostages, islamic state militants are accused of murdering iraqis and syrians on a massive scale. western journalists ca

as a prisoner he converted to islam and took the name abdul rahman.f other syrians. they say the video masks a major setback from isis, including the loss of a key oil refinery and death of a top leader. chuck hagel says there's no change in american strategy and the cia is stepping up efforts to train advisers

inn yan a he was captured in syria while doing charity work there kassig change from peter to abdul rahman after convert to go islam. >>> and back here at home a deadly accident in south philadelphia is under investigation, this morning. police say a driver wrapped their car around a pole on columbus boulevard. it happened just before 3:00. the driver died at the scene. the cause of the accident remains unclear. >>> police say a ten year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the face, darby township delaware county. it happened last night around 10:30 in the 1400 block of hook road. investigators tell thaws two siblings were sitting in their father's car at his place of work when the boy accidentally shot himself with a 357 magnum gun. it was left in the car. >> one female juvenile came in, to the shop to tell her father that her brother had shot himself accidentally with the gun. we believe the weapon belong to the father at this point. >> the first officer's on the scene put the boy in the police cruiser, within drove while the other performed cpr on the way to the hospital. the boy is in

kassig change his first name from peter to abdul rahman after convert to go islam. >>> back here at home, a deadly accident in south philadelphia is under investigation this morning. police say a a car crashed and wrap around a pole on columbus boulevard. it happened just before 3:00 this morning. only one vehicle was involve in the crash and the cause of the accident is still unclear. >>> police say a ten year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the face, in darby township delaware county. it happened last night around 10:30 in the 1400 block of hook road. two siblings were sitting at their father's car at his place of work when the boy shot himself with the 357 magnum gun that was left in the car. >> one female juvenile came into hell her fat their her brother shot himself accidentally with the gun. we believe the weapon belong to the father at this point. >> the first officers on the scene put that boy in a police cruiser, one drove while the other performed cpr on the way to the hospital. that boy unfortunately is in extremely critical condition. authorities tell us that there is a

at some point during his captivity he converted to islam and took on the name abdul rahman.n this letter drafted to his parents during that time he wrote, "if i do die, i figure that at least you and i can seek refuge and comfort in knowing that i went out as a result of trying to alleviate suffering and helping those in need." and that is how peter will be remembered, for his humor, laughter, but mostly his drive and compassion and the way he inspired us all more than he could ever imagine. >> there's this impression, this belief that there is no hope. you know, that's when it's more important than ever that we come in against all odds and try to do something. >> cnn's arwa damon reporting there. we want to turn now to the battlefield. a series of u.s.-led air strikes zeroed in on isis targets in the syrian community of kobani sunday. columns of smoke from the strikes could be seen rising over the skyline as fighting on the ground intensified. some of the shots fired from the turkish side of the border. isis has been trying to seize kobani from kurdish defenders for the pas

he was known as abdul rahman kassig.ay not have been saying the words they wanted him to say. there is speculation online as to whether or not he would recite the muslim prayer. to show that at the time of killing would have been offensive for isis to put out. that may be one reason. they simply do not knowledge that he was muslim and he did convert in part because it would devalue the public relations aspect and propaganda. >> his family is heartbroken. they will speak with reporters later today. our thoughts and hearts go out to them. atika, thank you. >>> aid agencies say isis has been stealing food and other foreign aid to redistribute it to the hungry syrian families and take credit for it. isis has diverted aid to their fighters and families. america's top unformed officer says momentum in the war against isis is starting to turn. chairman martin dempsey making a trip to baghdad over the weekend. victory over the terror group may take years. president obama talking about the earlier suggestion that dempsey may want

indomitable spirit of goodness and perseverance that bound in abdul rahman caching. rahman kassig. many believe these are propaganda efforts on behalf of i.s.i.l, and negotiations to free these hostages, mission ultimately unsuccessful. this is unlikely to change u.s. strategy in the war against i.s.i.l. by any means, the united states seize this as a propaganda tool and a recruitment tool really on the part of i.s.i.l. which after all is in competition with other radical groups in the region to gain recruits from the west and elsewhere. thomas. >> mike viqueria in washington. those who knew peter kassig saiy he often surprised people with his generosity. zeina khodr with more. >> before he decided those living inside syria. he left in october 2013, only to be captured by the islamic state of iraq and the levant. a week ago his friends in the northern city of tripoli added their voice to an international campaign to persuade i.s.i.l. to release limb. they were hoping that the fact that peter who became known as abdul rahman who converted to islam in captivity, would help. now he is

peter kassig converted to islam in captivity taking the name abdul rahman kassig. >> peter's life is evidence that he has been right all along. one person makes a difference. our hearts are battered, but they will mend. the world is broken, but it will be healed in the end. >>> protesters in ferguson, missouri are angry at governor jay nixon for declaring a state of emergency before the grand jury has announced if it will indict officer wilson for shooting the unarmed teenager. the governor is doing this as a precaution. cnn's sara sidner is in ferguson. >> reporter: a lot of folks talking about what has happened over the past 24 hours. governor nixon declaring a state of emergency and then saying he has activated the national guard in preparation for the grand jury deciding whether or not to indict officer wilson. propere protesters are upset with governor nixon because they say it is painting them and violent. many show up and are not violent, but very, very loud. they do a lot of chants and they come at police with very strong words. for the most part, they have been peaceful. thi

kassig, who changed his name to abdul-rahman kassig after converting to islam in capitivity, has been. kassig is the fifth westerner that isis claims to have executed. but the latest video is different from previous ones: it doesn't contain a statement from the victim. it's longer than the previous clips. and it shows the beheadings of other men, whom isis claims are syrian pilots. place of the execution: dabiq, syria. isis's latest claims brought swift condemnation from the west. senator dick durbin told c-n-n: : "this video that we have seen here, if verified, is a tragic reminder of the savagery, and of isis, and the complexity of our challenge." durbin doesn't think the u-s should go as far as sending ground troops to fight the terrorists in iraq and syria. : "there are many who are anxious to send troops forward. i am not one of them." on cbs's face the nation, former massachusetts governor mitt romney criticized president barack obama's handling of the fight. : "what we should have done by now is have american troops standing by in iraq. that was something that we argued for yea

abdul-rahman was taken to us with an act of pure evil. like jim foley apeter kassig's also speaking out earlier today, but actually before his death was confirmed, they asked the media to avoid the graphic images, we prefer our son is written about and remembered for his important work and the love he shared with friends and family. and we are honoring that family's request. they are in our thoughts and our par prayers. how does this video compared to what we have seen previously. >> this is video we don't actually see peter kassig being executed nor do we see him condemning america or praising isis before his death. his executioner appears on the video with -- a real genuine desire to help the syrian people. he started his own ngo to help get medical supplies to the syrian people. but he was also a former elite u.s. army ranger who served in iraq in 2007 and kassig refused to -- the other hostages were forced to recite and say before they were killed and that's one of the reasons why this video is slightly different. the training that he

. >> since his capture a year ago, kassig converted to islam and changed his name to abdul-rahman. isis showed their captive in a previous video, threatening to kill him in retaliation for u.s. military action in iraq and syria: kassig's parents publicly pleaded with his cappers to spare their son, fellow muslim. >> we imblow those holding you to show mercy and use their power to let you go. >> yet in their new video isis shows kassig's purported execution 'er claiming to be in a syrian city with what appears to be kassig's severed head at his feet. he taunts president obama saying we are burying the first american crusader, eagerly waiting for the remainder of your armies to arrive. his parents say they want their son to be remembered for the love he shared with friends and family. in a letter to his parents smuggled out, peter kassig said if i do die, at least you and i can seek refuge and comfort knowing i went out as a result of trying to alleve yet suffering and helping those in need. abc news, washington, dc. >> the state department has taken the unprecedented step of shuttin

. >> awhile ago we were informed that our beloved son abdul rahman no longer walks this earth. our hearts though heavy are held up by the love and support that has poured into our lives these last few days. >> now you heard his parents there refer to him as abdul rahman because he converted to islam. president obama calls kassig's death an act of pure evil. >> it's been 100 days since the shooting death of teenager michael brown at the hands of a police officer and the people of ferguson, missouri want answers. the governor has declared a state of emergency with a grand jury decision on charges expected any day now. dozens of demonstrators lined the streets last night calling for the arrest of officer darrin wilson. wilson shot and killed the unarmed black teenager earlier this summer. >>> and sad news out of nebras nebraska. another ebola patient loses their battle with ebola virus after contracting it in west africa. fox news lauren blanchard is in omaha with more. >> reporter: dr. martin salia dying early this morning here at the nebraska medical center. the u.s. resident co

in captivity, kassig converted to islam and changed his name to abdul rahman. but none of that made any difference to isis. >> this is peter edward kassig, >> reporter: the masked man with a british accent, dubbed by some jihad john announced kassig's beheading just as he had done with american journalists james foley and steven sotloff. but in this isis video there was no effort to hide the location with obvious landmarks of buildings, roads, farmland. >> it's absolutely essential to bring this individual to justice. >> reporter: on the same isis video jihad john leading 16 isis fighters in a chilling mass beheading. one of them already identified as a 22-year-old citizen of france. and now, one woman is believed to be the last american hostage held by isis. >>> and the last american patient has died from ebola. over the weekend, he arrived to a hospital, too weak to walk. >>> and we're learning about the surprise searches for at least five teens by the nfl, looking for pain medication used to keep players on the field. >> reporter: game night, the 49ers celeb

kassig converted to islam and changed his name to abdul rahman while he was a prisoner. this afternoon his parents spoke about their son. let's watch. >> our hearts are battered, but they will mend. the world is broken, but it will be healed in the end. and good will prevail as the one god of many names will prevail. >> please pray for abdul rahman, or pete, if that's how you know him, at sunset this evening. pray also for all people in syria and iraq and around the world that are held against their will. >> well, president obama called the murder of peter kassig an act of pure evil, certainly got that right. so far the group has beheaded five western hostages including the american journalist james foley and sotloff. some have resided in western countries including the man referred to as jihadi john who has appeared in all the videos. today french authorities identified the most recent video as maxime hauchard. mike, i want you to start. what does this all mean to you? put it all together. you see these beheadings -- >> yeah. >> you see the terrible shape of the iraqi a

it reads, abdul rahman was taken from us in an act of pure evil. he was a humanitarian who worked to save the live. >>> some shocking new video shows what happens to an airliner shot out of the sky. still ahead, why investigators are back in ukraine tonight sifting through the wreckage. >>> plus a man from maryland made it his life's mission. now the fire station he fought to build will bare his name. >> he was a really, really good name. he used all the gifts that god gave just like an interception, i bet you didn't see this one coming. up your game with a new fritos chili pizza. a large for $12 dollars. add a mega chocolate chip cookie for just $5 dollars more. better ingredients. better pizza. better football. papa john's. >>> we are seeing incredible new video tonight which appears to be our first look at the aftermath of a malaysia airlines in ukraine. the associated press obtained the cell phone video. back in july the boeing 777 was flying from amsterdam to kuala lamb pure when it was shot down over an area of ukraine controlled by rebels. t

kassig, who converted to islam, and changed his name to abdul rahman endured torture and the mental trauma as other western hostages at times his cell mates were taken, one by one, to be murdered. he knew his time would come. last month kassig's father, ed, read a letter written to the family by their son. >> don't worry, dad. if i go down, i won't go down thinking anything of what i know to be true, that you and mom love me more than the moon and the stars. >> reporter: the kassig family remembered his humanitarian work, sharing an audio recording of kassig before he was taken captive. >> i was able to share a little bit of hope and comfort with some people. >> reporter: unlike other execution videos put out by isis, this one did not end with a specific threat to kill another western hostage. the group simply doesn't have that many western hostages left to kill. richard engel, nbc news, istanbul. >>> tv icon bill cosby is breaking his silence after renewed accusations that he is a rapist. a lawyer for cosby says in part, quote, over the last several weeks decade old discredited allegation

abdul rahman kassig's family spoke for the first time today he was captured last year while doing aidk in syria and also a former army ranger. for more we go to jamie macintyre live in washington. his parents pled for his life a month ago after spending a year in ey silence, tell us what they said today. >> reporter: this is a hard wrenching time for the parents of abdul rahmen case i go who changed his team from peter when he convert today islam. he is a former army ranger who decided to go back and help the syrian people by creating an aid organization. his parents today despite the -- what they have suffered now with his beheading at the hands of isil fighters, still had a message of peace and reconciliation. >> hour hearts are battered, but they will men mend. the world is broken, but it will be healed in the end. and goodwill prevail as the one god of many names will prevail. >> please pray for abdul rahman, or pete if that's how you know him, at sunset this everything. prealso for all people in syria, in iraq, and around the world that are held against their will. and aftly, ple

he said in part, today we offer our prayers and condolences to the parents and family of abdul rahman kassig. he was taken from us in an act of pure evil by a terrorist group that the world rightly associates with inhumanity. >>> new information today about the allegations of sexual assault surrounding comedian bill cosby. his lawyer says cosby will not discuss them. john schmidt issued this statement saying over the last several weeks, decade-old discredited allegations against mr. cosby have resurfaced. the fact that they are being repeated does not make them true. mr. cosby does not intend to dignify these allegations with any comments. the 77-year-old philadelphia native continues to face backlash over claims he assaulted several women in the past. cosby has never been charged. he saettled a civil asuit with woman two years before. >>> an update on a deadly accident in south philadelphia. police say the victim was drag racing at the time of the crash. it happened around 2:30 this morning on columbus boulevard. police say the driver lost control and struck a pole. investigators ini

over lunch, we met abdul rahman al howaiti, a star graduate who's now studying injuring. >> reporter:aeda? >> yes, al qaeda. >> reporter: he told us he joined al qaeda in yemen because he was angered by the u.s. invasion of iraq. i'm an infidel. if you had met me at that point, would you have tried to kill me? >> of course. >> reporter: but after al qaeda asked him to become a suicide bomber, he came home and turned himself in. what did they want you to do? "they told me i should wear a suicide vest and blow up a building," he said, "but that wouldn't have achieved anything. and even if it did, i wouldn't have been around to see it." saudi arabian officials admit that rehabilitation doesn't always work, but they've had some spectacular failures. when saudi police arrested 88 suspected al qaeda operatives in september, they discovered that 59 of them had been through reform programs and were then released. holly williams, cbs news, jeddah, saudi arabia. >> that is the "cbs morning news" for this wednesday. thanks for watching. i'm anne-marie green. have a great day. >>> and today, it i

obama reacting to this breaking news just moments ago from aboard air force one saying, quote, abdul rahman was take up from us in an act of pure evil by a terrorist group that the world rightly associates with inhumanity. like jim foley and steve sotloff before him, his life and deeds stand in stark contrast to everything that isil represents. we are not using pictures of s cassik. >>> the terror group has a symbolic test of the u.s.-led coalition's ability to slow the terror group's advance. and fox news taking you inside the war on terror like never before. first up, the new two-hour special, "the man who killed to osama bin la dsladin." you can watch that here on the fox news channel. >>> and new fallout over controversial tapes of the obamacare consultant jonathan gruber, an m.i.t. professor at one point while discussing the affordable care act calls the american public, quote, stupid. >> lack of transparency is a huge political advantage. and basically call it the stupidity of the american voter or whatever, but they quickly, that was really critical to get anything to pass. >> peter

also recall that the indomitable spirit of goodness and perseverance that burns so brightly in abdul rahmanassig and which binds humanity together ultimately is the light that will prevail over the darkness of isil. wendy gillette for cbs3 "eyewitness news." >> well, bill cosby's lawyer is speaking out now about the latest round of sexual abuse allegations levied against his client. he says the philly born entertainer will not dignify "decade olds discredit allegations with a response." he goes on to say the fact that they are being repeated does not make them true. cosby settled a civil suit in 2006 which claimed he drugged and assaulted women inside his home. he has never been criminally charged. cosby's up coming appearance on the late show with david letterman has been canceled. >>> the philadelphia skyline, it has changed again. removing the pnb letters over the summer turned out to be a lot more difficult than expected. today, though, crews returned to finish the job. "eyewitness news" reporter syma chowdhury shows us how it all went down this time. >> reporter: this p will now stand

there was widespread condemnation of the videotaped beheading by isis of american aid worker peter abdul-rahman kassig had been captured in syria in october of last year, and is the 5th western hostage that isis claims to have beheaded since august. the council for american islamic relations, cair, denounced the killing as "anti-islamic." kassig's parents said their son had begun a sincere conversion to islam prior to his abduction, and they asked for prayers. >>> last week here we ran a report on what u.s. muslims are doing to try to prevent anyone in this country from joining violent, radical islamist groups. today, why some people men and women, all over the world do want to go help islamist fighters in the middle east. correspondent dan lothian says part of the lure is what volunteers are promised. part of it, too, he says, is social media, taking the islamists' messages everywhere. >> reporter: hanif qadir knows first-hand how easily radicals can claim young hearts and minds. 12 years ago he traveled from britain to afghanistan to help women and children caught up in war, but was reeled in

in captivity he converted to islam and changed his name to abdul rahman. it didn't help. he was tortured and saw some european cell mates released for ransom. and others, american and british, marched out to be killed. secretary of state kerry defended the u.s. policy. >> the united states has set a heart rending but absolutely necessary example by refusing to pay ransom for captured americans. >> reporter: the isis video is revealing. kassig makes no statement and is never seen alive. it was shot in dabiq, an isis held town in northern syria. behind the hooded figure trees and buildings are visible that appear to match similar landmarks in aerial photographs. the video also shows syrian soldiers executed by isis fighters. the killer's face is exposed. like in the mafia they're now implicated. they can't go home. one fighter, identified today as maxime hauchard, a french national, who went to syria last year. isis says its goal, is to drag the u.s. into a ground war and to show u.s. air strikes haven't stopped them. isis is still holding at least two western hostages, bri

peter kassig converted to islam in captivity and changed his name to abdul-rahman. he is the third american to be killed by isis, which has seized large portions of iraq and syria. we have more now from margaret brennan. >> reporter: after more than a year of waiting and praying, ed and paula kassig's worst fears were confirmed. isis murdered their only child. >> our hearts are battered, but they will mend. the world is broken, but it will be healed in the end. >> reporter: the killing was made public in a video released by isis on sunday, a masked execution stands over the severed head of man he identified as peter kassig. >> it's peter edward kassig, a u.s. citizen of your country. >> reporter: the 26-year-old indiana native, a former army ranger turned aide worker, was captured last year while delivering supplies in eastern syria. unlike previous isis execution videos, kassig did not address the camera and his captor is not in the same desolate desert location. this time he says he's in dabiq, northern syria. the british-accented executioner appears to be the sam

he changed his name to abdul rahman, and his cell mates were taken one by one to be murdered. he knew his time would come. his father read a letter from his son. >> don't worry, dad, if i go down, i won't be thinking anything that i know it be true, that you and mom love me more than the moon and the stars. >> kassig shared an audio recording of him before he was taken captive. >> i was able to share a little bit of hope and comfort for people. >> in a statement today the family asked for privacy and for the media not to show its murder, to deny the group what it wants, to terrorize. >> they've been forced to go out there and make appeals to isis leaders to free their lover lov ones. all of these have fallen on deaf ears. >> isis has proven time and time again its brutality. now this war shows no sign of ending soon. >> unlike other isis put out of hostages, this did not end with a threat to kill another host e hostage. they are just splim running out of -- simply running out of hostages left to kill. >>> this latest act of terrorism finds the president and leading officials a

severson in camden, new jersey.ç >>> this week a muslim prayer service was held in indiana for peter abdul-rahmanworker who was beheaded by isis militants.ç the 26-year-old kassig had converted to islam prior to his abduction in syria last year, a conversion his parents said was sincere. he became the 5th western hostage that isis claims to have beheaded since august. >>> the christian organization bread for the world this week identified as one of the major causes of hunger the way the world treats women. the report says poverty, discrimination, unpaid work andç barriers to education all combine to make women effectively second class citizens. bread for the world also notes that the new u.s. congress, convening in january, will have as members 100 women, the most ever. now, the ethics of inoculation. if parents don't want their child vaccinated, for religious or any reason, does that put other children at risc nf getting sick? it's a current public health issue because contagious diseases long considered under control, measles and whooping cough, have been making a comeback. deborah potter repo

. >> changing his name from peter to abdul rahman.vein, t his parents pleaded with the militants to release him. >> we implore his can a captors to show mercy and let our son go. >> before his murder kassig had written a letter to his parents. his father recently read a short extract. >> if i go down i won't go down thinking anything but what i know to be true. that you and mom love me more than the moon. >> it is like a nightmare. just like happening again. >> and saloomi anderson whose father was captured in the middle east more than a decade ago, knew kassig well, pleaded with his captives to release him. >> he has done nothing but help the people in your country, just regular people, and that could be your wife, your child. >> i got you. >> the pleas there his family and friends were ignored. now another american hostage has lost his life, for wanting only to help ease the an any of syria. >> avenues of the beheading. >> sreenivasan: after news of the beheading became public, kassig's parents issued this statement: "we prefer our