An American photojournalist who U.S. officials say was executed by al-Qaida militants in Yemen was a passionate free-thinker known for his rich portrayals of pro-Democracy protests and life, friends said on Saturday.
Luke Somers, 33, was shot along with a South African teacher by their captors shortly after a failed American-led rescue attempt overnight in a remote desert village in Yemen, U.S. officials said.
"He had an intense curiosity. He was a young man grappling with big ideas," said Beloit College professor Shawn Gillen, who taught Somers creative writing and literature in 2007.