"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."