Who is Jihadi John in 60 seconds?
“Jihadi John”, the masked Isil executioner and alleged British national, known for his role in the beheadings of hostages by the Islamic State has now been named as Mohammed Emwazi
The man in the black balaclava who has seemed to have beheaded several foreign hostages in Islamic State videos has been identified by British security services as Mohammed Emwazi, a British national from London.
Known in the news media as “Jihadi John,” he is said to have been born in Kuwait and traveled to Syria in 2012. His name was first published on Thursday on the website of The Washington Post.
The story was confirmed by a senior British security official, who said that the British government had identified Mr. Emwazi some time ago but had not disclosed his name for operational reasons.
Mr. Emwazi, 27, grew up in Queen’s Park, West London, and graduated from the University of Westminster with a degree in computer programming.
He first appeared in Islamic State videos in August, when he appeared to behead the American journalist James Foley and deliver threats against the West. The actual execution was not included in the video.
Last month, he appeared in a video with Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto, both Japanese hostages, shortly before they were killed. Scotland Yard refused to confirm the identification, and Downing Street had no comment.
AUDIO Jihadi John speaks in Steven Sotloff beheading video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG1ZGTIuYt0
I’m back, Obama’: ISIS executioner Jihadi John taunts President as he beheads second US journalist, Steven Sotloff . . . and then threatens to kill a Briton next Steven Sotloff, 31, from Miami, was captured in Syria in August 2013 The video is titled ‘A Second Message to America’ In the video, Sotloff describes himself as ‘paying the price’ for the Obama administration’s decision to attack ISIS in Iraq His execution follows the beheading of fellow journalist James Foley last month Sotloff freelanced for Time and Foreign Policy magazines Family of Steven Sotloff said they ‘know of this horrific tragedy and are grieving privately’ The White House today said: ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr Sotloff and Mr Sotloff’s family’
ISIS has released a video that shows the beheading of U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff and says the murder is retaliation for the Obama administration’s continued airstrikes in Iraq.
Sotloff is the second American journalist to be killed by ISIS, and his death comes two weeks after James Foley was executed in a similar video.
In the video entitled ‘A Second Message to America,’ Sotloff appears in a orange jumpsuit before he is beheaded by an Islamic State fighter.
The executioner appears to be the same man who killed Foley – known as ‘Jihadi John’ – and tells the camera: ‘I’m back, Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State.”
He also threatens to kill a Briton held hostage by the group next.
Tonight Prime Minister David Cameron condemned the video and said: ‘It is an absolutely disgusting and despicable act.” He added he will be making a statement on the video later.
Sotloff, 31, from Miami, who freelanced for Time and Foreign Policy magazines, vanished in Syria in August 2013 and was not seen again until he appeared in a video released online last month that showed Foley’s beheading.
In the new video that shows the killing of Sotloff, the executioner points his knife menacingly at the camera as he speaks.
Clad in the same black garb he wore during Foley’s execution, the killer has a pistol strapped under his arm in a shoulder holster. The black flag of the Islamic State can be seen waving in the background
Sotloff calmly read a statement moments before his murder. ‘I’m sure you know exactly who I am by now and why I am appearing,’ he says.
He adds to the camera: ‘Obama, your foreign policy of intervention in Iraq was supposed to be for preservation of American lives and interests, so why is it that I am paying the price of your interference with my life?’
While he speaks, a militant calmly holds a knife at his side and stands next to Sotloff.
The man believed to be ‘Jihadi John’ – the same militant who killed James Foley and suspected to be Briton Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary – then taunts Obama on camera.
He says: ‘As your missiles continue to strike our people, our knife will continue to strike necks of your people.’
‘I’m back Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic state, because of your insistence on continuing your bombings and … on Mosul Dam, despite our serious warnings. You Obama, have but to gain from your actions but another American citizen. So just as your missiles continue to strike out people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people.’
Two hours after the video was released, Mr. Sotloff’s family issued a statement to say they believe he has been killed.
‘The family knows of this horrific tragedy and is grieving privately. There will be no public comment from the family during this difficult time,’ the statements said.
Foley’s family released a statement after Sotloff’s execution, calling it ‘just horrific,’ according to WHDH-TV.
The president was in the White House when news broke, preparing for a mid-afternoon departure for Estonia and then Wales, where he will attend a NATO summit. But the White House didn’t immediately comment on how and when Obama heard about Sotloff’s reported death.
American lawmakers were wuick to condemn the video as another atrocity against the US.
(Source: NY Times/YouTube)
