"Barbarity": "Video shows purported beheading of [21] Egyptian Christians in Libya"

The Post (Erin Cunningham & Heba Habib) reports:

The Islamic State in Libya released a video Sunday that appeared to show the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians who had recently been taken hostage there….

The brutal murders were portrayed as retaliation against what a masked fighter described as "the hostile Egyptian church." Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of the Egyptian population and suffer widespread discrimination and persecution….

The footage - titled "A Message Signed with Blood to the Nation of the Cross" - was the first propaganda video from the Libyan branch of the Islamic State ….

"Today we are south of Rome," a militant wearing a brown ski mask said against a backdrop of gray storm clouds in the five-minute video. "We will conquer Rome with Allah's permission."

For the White House's response, see here.

UPDATE: For Egypt's response, see "Egypt bombs Islamic State targets in Libya after beheading video."