UNITED NATIONS, Aug 22 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Friday condemned the beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley by Islamic State militants, saying that they and their ideology of intolerance must be defeated.
"The Security Council strongly condemned the heinous and cowardly murder of James Foley," the 15-nation council said in a statement.
"This incident is a tragic reminder of the increasing dangers journalists face every day in Syria," it said. "It also once again demonstrates the brutality of ISIL (Islamic State), which is responsible for thousands of abuses against the Syrian and Iraqi people."
The militants released a video this week showing one of the group's fighters beheading Foley and threatening to kill a second American reporter, Steve Sotloff.
"The members of the Security Council stressed that ISIL must be defeated and that the intolerance, violence and hatred it espouses must be stamped out," the statement said.
"The Council further emphasized that there has to be a common effort amongst governments and institutions, including those in the region most affected, to counter ISIL, al Nusra Front and all other individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities associated with al Qaeda," it added. (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; editing by Gunna Dickson)
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