The family of Briton Alan Henning, whose beheading has been claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group, said Saturday they were “numb with grief” over the murder of a “decent, caring” man.
Henning’s wife Barbara and his two children said they had hoped never to receive news of his killing but learnt that he was dead after IS released a graphic execution video late Friday.
“We always knew that Alan was in the most dangerous of situations but we hoped that he would return home to us. That is not to be,” the family said in a statement released by Britain’s Foreign Office.
“Alan was a decent, caring human being. His interest was in the welfare of others. He will be remembered for this and we as a family are extremely proud of him and what he achieved and the people he helped.”
The statement added: “All of Alan?s family and friends are numb with grief.”
Prime Minister David Cameron has also paid tribute to 47-year-old Henning, a taxi driver who went to the region as a volunteer to deliver aid, as a “man of great peace, kindness and gentleness”.
But Henning’s brother-in-law, Colin Livesey, told BBC television that the British government could have done more to protect Henning.
“They could have done more when they knew about it months and months ago,” he said Livesey, the brother of Henning’s widow. “I just don’t think they did enough in my eyes.”
He also described the killers as “scum”.
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