In a broadcast Wednesday on Al Arabiya Network, Shirley Sotloff, mother of U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff, made a heartfelt plea to the militant group ISIS who has been holding her son captive in Syria for over a year.

Sotloff addressed her plea directly to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, telling the ISIS leader that her son is an "honorable man and has always tried to help the weak."

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The mother also said her son has no control over the actions of the United States government and should not be held accountable for them.

Ms. Sotloff pled with the militant leader to please release her child, who has been in captivity since 2013.

The video marks the family's first public statement regarding Steven Sotloff's detention.

Sotloff disappeared in August 2013 while reporting in Syria. The journalist's family kept quiet on the issue fearing he would be harmed if they made his capture public, .

The 31-year-old reporter appeared in the gruesome video showing the execution of fellow American journalist James Foley last week. Militants warning Sotloff's life also hung in the balance depending on President Obama's future decisions regarding Iraq.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest did not specify if Obama had seen Ms. Sotloff's video, but said the administration was deeply invested in ensuring the safe release of all Americans held hostage in the Middle East.

Earlier this week, the release of U.S. journalist Peter Theo Curtis marked a victory for hostage rescue in Syria, the most dangerous country in the world for reporters.

The 45-year-old reporter was held captive for almost two years in Syria. He said he had no idea "so much effort was being expended on my behalf" during that time.

Tagsjames foley, Steven Sotloff, ISIS, execution video, Iraq