French far right leader removes tweet of Islamic State execution amid protests, leaves others

PARIS – French far right leader Marine Le Pen on Thursday took down a tweet showing the execution of American reporter James Foley after his family protested – but left up two other gruesome images of violence by Islamic State extremists.

French authorities are investigating the tweets, which Le Pen posted in response to a journalist who made an analogy between her anti-immigration National Front party and the Islamic State group.

Le Pen was trying to show the difference between the two but the effort backfired, drawing widespread condemnation, and the interior minister accused her of fomenting Islamic State propaganda.

Foley’s mother Diane said on French radio RTL on Thursday that the tweets “add to the family’s pain.” The family issued a statement saying, “We are deeply disturbed by the unsolicited use of Jim for Le Pen’s political gain” and want the photos taken down “immediately.”

Soon afterward, Le Pen’s tweet disappeared. However, two other tweets with images of IS executions remained visible on her Twitter account.

Party spokesman Alain Vizier would not comment on why Le Pen took down the Foley photo.

Foley was captured in 2012 and beheaded in 2014.