Terrorists Murder Japanese Hostage

Terrorist insurgents in Iraq said they have murdered Japanese hostage Akihiko Saito and posted video footage of his body on the Internet. From Reuters:

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Insurgents said on Saturday they had killed a Japanese hostage seized in Iraq and posted footage on the Internet showing his bloodied corpse.

Japan's Foreign Ministry and the hostage's brother confirmed the video footage showed the body of Akihiko Saito, 44, a former paratrooper and veteran of the French Foreign Legion, who was captured on May 8 when insurgents ambushed a civilian security convoy.

There's another issue here as well. This is the headline that Reuters used:

Insurgents say killed Japanese hostage in Iraq

Note the use of the word "insurgent" in describing a terrorist act. Nowhere in the Reuters article does the word "terrorist" appear.

Murdering a bound and helpless kidnap victim is the act of terrorists. Reuters' refusal to use that word in this story indicates an editorial staff of remarkably pigheaded stupidity. In fact, Reuters' insistence on calling these creatures "insurgents" rather than using the term "terrorists", to whatever degree that lends legitimacy to and encourages the terrorists and their ilk who committed this brutal act, makes Reuters complicit and accomplices after the fact in this and future acts of terrorism.