The militant group that calls itself the Islamic State has released a video that purportedly shows the beheading of British citizen Alan Henning.
The video is made in much the same style as the others and shows a masked militant begin to cut the head off a man who looks like Henning.
This is the fourth Westerner the Islamic State has taken responsibility for killing.
At the end of the video, the militants show another hostage they claim is an American citizen.
American authorities referred questions to the British government, which has yet to authenticate the video, but like ones that preceded, the man purported to be Henning says he is paying the price for his country's decision to join a coalition fighting a war against the Islamic State.
Earlier this week, Henning's wife, Barbara, issued a direct appeal to the Islamic State to free her 47-year-old taxi driver husband.
"I ask Islamic State please release him, we need him back home," she said.
In her plea, Barbara says Henning is innocent, that he was in Syria volunteering with his Muslim friends to help the people of Syria.
The Islamic State has previously released videos showing the beheading of Americans Steven Sotloff and James Foley and Briton David Haines.
Update at 5:03 p.m. ET. Evaluating Authenticity:
Lisa Monaco, assistant to president on Homeland Security, said during a scheduled press conference that the Obama administration was aware of the video and was evaluating its authenticity.
If it turns out to be authentic, she said, it's "another demonstration of the brutality of" Islamic State and why President Obama has moved to "degrade and ultimately destroy" the group.
Britain's Foreign & Commonwealth Office issued a similar statement.
"If true, this is a further disgusting murder," the office's spokesman said. "We are offering the family every support possible; they ask to be left alone at this time."
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