'British' jihadist who beheaded journalist is Londoner called John

[lostinblue 1,989]

'British' jihadist who beheaded journalist is Londoner called John An international manhunt is under way to identify the British militant who beheaded American journalist James Foley, with sources suggesting he is a London-born fanatic called John

By Gordon Rayner, and Martin Evans

10:04PM BST 20 Aug 2014

The jihadist who beheaded the American journalist James Foley is believed to be British born militant from London who calls himself John, it can be revealed.

Intelligence agents in the UK and United States are urgently looking into reports that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil) fighter, whose brutal actions shocked the world, is the ringleader of group of British jihadists who have specialised in hostage taking.

Based in the Isil stronghold of Raqqa in Syria, ‘John’, is described as a well-educated, intelligent, but highly committed member of the extremist terror group.

Operating closely with two other British born militants, the group have been dubbed ‘The Beatles’, by fellow jihadists because of their nationality.

Further down we take a look at the profile of some of the Britons who have travelled to Syria and Iraq to take up arms

Experts last night warned that British extremists fighting across Iraq and Syria were among the most “vicious and callous” killers in the region.

Shiraz Maher, of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King’s College, London, said the more than 500 Britons known to have travelled to Syria and Iraq have become more “brazen” and “arrogant” in recent months.

The beheading of Mr Foley at the hands of a British jihadist suggests militants from the UK are no longer merely foot soldiers within Isil, but have worked their way up to senior positions within the organisation.

Another Briton, Waheed Majeed, carried out a suicide bombing in Syria earlier this year.

Mr Maher also warned that their bloodthirstiness meant they would pose a “very real threat” in the UK if they returned here battle-hardened from waging “jihad”.

British police have the names of hundreds of extremists who are known to be fighting with the Isil and other insurgent groups.

Some have boasted on Twitter and Facebook about their involvement, and the security services were last night examining pictures of known fighters as part of the process of identifying Mr Foley’s killer. They include boys and girls as young as 16, a medical student and a Primark shop assistant.

Around half of the 500 who have travelled to the Middle East since Syria’s civil war began three years ago have now returned to the UK.

Mr Maher said: “We have seen British fighters out there operating as suicide bombers, we have seen them operating as executioners. Unfortunately they are amongst some of the most vicious and vociferous fighters who are out there. That is unfortunately just a part of their radicalisation.

“This is the first time we have seen the Isil adopt this rather aggressive, directly confrontational approach to the Western world with the execution of James Foley. If that intensifies, they may look to British fighters within their ranks … to look towards sending some of them back to carry out attacks here. It’s a very real threat.”

Here we profile some of the Britons who have travelled to Syria and Iraq to take up arms.

Abu Abdullah Britani

Britani, 32, is one of ten Britons from Portsmouth to have travelled to Syria to fight for Isil.

He uses Twitter to post pictures of his life as an insurgent, including an image of an automatic rifle hanging on a hook in a changing room, and another of a similar weapon on top of a gym bag.

In one post he wrote: "The children here have hearts of lions. When the helicopters [are] out they still play on the streets pointing their toy guns towards the sky."

He has also used the Ask. Fm chat room website to give advice to would-be jihadis planning on travelling from Britain, including a teenage boy who said he had never travelled alone before and was worried his parents would find out.

Britani assured the boy that when he arrived he would be given an AK47 assault rifle, four magazines of ammunition, a “vest pack” and a grenade.

Muhammad Hamideer Rahman

'British' jihadist who beheaded journalist is Londoner called John An international manhunt is under way to identify the British militant who beheaded American journalist James Foley, with sources suggesting he is a London-born fanatic called John

An IS militant with a man purported to be US journalist Steven Sotloff, in a still from the group's video

By Gordon Rayner, and Martin Evans

10:04PM BST 20 Aug 2014

The jihadist who beheaded the American journalist James Foley is believed to be British born militant from London who calls himself John, it can be revealed.

Intelligence agents in the UK and United States are urgently looking into reports that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil) fighter, whose brutal actions shocked the world, is the ringleader of group of British jihadists who have specialised in hostage taking.

Based in the Isil stronghold of Raqqa in Syria, ‘John’, is described as a well-educated, intelligent, but highly committed member of the extremist terror group.

Operating closely with two other British born militants, the group have been dubbed ‘The Beatles’, by fellow jihadists because of their nationality.

Further down we take a look at the profile of some of the Britons who have travelled to Syria and Iraq to take up arms

Related Articles

• David Cameron to look at tougher laws to curb jihadi threat

  21 Aug 2014

• Voice recognition technology will attempt to ID 'barbaric' British jihadist

  20 Aug 2014

• Britain's involvement in Islamic extremism

  20 Aug 2014

• Hammond: UK 'urgently investigating' identity of Foley's killer

  20 Aug 2014

• Another life in British jihadist's hands after James Foley beheading

  20 Aug 2014

• Iraq crisis: what is driving British men to join IS

  20 Aug 2014

Experts last night warned that British extremists fighting across Iraq and Syria were among the most “vicious and callous” killers in the region.

Shiraz Maher, of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King’s College, London, said the more than 500 Britons known to have travelled to Syria and Iraq have become more “brazen” and “arrogant” in recent months.

The beheading of Mr Foley at the hands of a British jihadist suggests militants from the UK are no longer merely foot soldiers within Isil, but have worked their way up to senior positions within the organisation.

Another Briton, Waheed Majeed, carried out a suicide bombing in Syria earlier this year.

Mr Maher also warned that their bloodthirstiness meant they would pose a “very real threat” in the UK if they returned here battle-hardened from waging “jihad”.

British police have the names of hundreds of extremists who are known to be fighting with the Isil and other insurgent groups.

Some have boasted on Twitter and Facebook about their involvement, and the security services were last night examining pictures of known fighters as part of the process of identifying Mr Foley’s killer. They include boys and girls as young as 16, a medical student and a Primark shop assistant.

Around half of the 500 who have travelled to the Middle East since Syria’s civil war began three years ago have now returned to the UK.

Mr Maher said: “We have seen British fighters out there operating as suicide bombers, we have seen them operating as executioners. Unfortunately they are amongst some of the most vicious and vociferous fighters who are out there. That is unfortunately just a part of their radicalisation.

“This is the first time we have seen the Isil adopt this rather aggressive, directly confrontational approach to the Western world with the execution of James Foley. If that intensifies, they may look to British fighters within their ranks … to look towards sending some of them back to carry out attacks here. It’s a very real threat.”

Here we profile some of the Britons who have travelled to Syria and Iraq to take up arms.

Abu Abdullah Britani

^{Abu abdullah al-britani}

Britani, 32, is one of ten Britons from Portsmouth to have travelled to Syria to fight for Isil.

He uses Twitter to post pictures of his life as an insurgent, including an image of an automatic rifle hanging on a hook in a changing room, and another of a similar weapon on top of a gym bag.

In one post he wrote: "The children here have hearts of lions. When the helicopters [are] out they still play on the streets pointing their toy guns towards the sky."

He has also used the Ask. Fm chat room website to give advice to would-be jihadis planning on travelling from Britain, including a teenage boy who said he had never travelled alone before and was worried his parents would find out.

Britani assured the boy that when he arrived he would be given an AK47 assault rifle, four magazines of ammunition, a “vest pack” and a grenade.

Muhammad Hamideer Rahman

^{Muhammad Hamideer Rahman}

Like many other Britons, Rahman, 25, from Portsmouth, is believed to have flown from Gatwick airport to Turkey before making the short overland journey to Syria. A former supervisor at Primark, he was shot dead in July.

His father Abdul Hannan, 52, an Indian restaurant worker, said the family received a text message from a friend of his son in Syria saying Rahman was dead. He had told his father he “wanted to become a Shaheed (martyr) for the sake of Allah”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/11047109/British-jihadist-who-beheaded-journalist-is-Londoner-called-John.html

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It is a concern, certainly.

[lostinblue 1,989]

It is a concern, certainly.

Experts last night warned that British extremists fighting across Iraq and Syria were among the most “vicious and callous” killers in the region.

Shiraz Maher, of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King’s College, London, said the more than 500 Britons known to have travelled to Syria and Iraq have become more “brazen” and “arrogant” in recent months.

The beheading of Mr Foley at the hands of a British jihadist suggests militants from the UK are no longer merely foot soldiers within Isil, but have worked their way up to senior positions within the organisation.

Another Briton, Waheed Majeed, carried out a suicide bombing in Syria earlier this year.

Mr Maher also warned that their bloodthirstiness meant they would pose a “very real threat” in the UK if they returned here battle-hardened from waging “jihad”.

The threat is very real

..Muhammad is the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2725724/How-Muhammad-popular-baby-boys-England-Wales-doesn-t-official-list-ways-spell-it.html#ixzz3B2ECc9Gm

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

British extremists fighting across Iraq and Syria were among the most “vicious and callous” killers in the region. , They will return to their homeland ... One has to believe that all these men being beheaded in Iraq is not just a random event... John ... you are from London.....Take your knife and get used to cut heads off.. The first 50 are your subjects. lets see how fast you can behead, get used to seeing the blood run....

Radical Islam will be returning home they are..the most .“vicious and callous” killers in the region.,,,,,,,Highly trained... You are not talking about a few kids setting off a pressure cooker in Boston...Look at the police response in Boston for that... Then have a dozen or two happen in a short time frame. It would be overwhelming. It is very easy to get on a plane from London to NY City as compared to say Nigeria to to NY City. Having a British passport of a British natural born subject.... you travel easy...Then it is on our shores.

Holder will still be looking at the Zimmerman case....Rather than where he is needed.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Yeah I read that the first time - I'm not sure what putting it in red is supposed to achieve?

[Teddy B 17,252]

Yeah I read that the first time - I'm not sure what putting it in red is supposed to achieve?

LIB is all about the shock factor.

[JohnR! 5,495]

It means that if you meet someone named John you should shoot first and ask questions later...

Somehow I feel somewhat uncomfortable with that proposition...

Yeah I read that the first time - I'm not sure what putting it in red is supposed to achieve?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Personally, I think a lot of this comes out of the economic recession - 4 years ago youth unemployment hit an all-time high and even the government was talking about a lost-generation, with even university graduates unable to get decent jobs after finishing their studies.

Desperate people do desperate things.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I think this means we should be wary of Brits, just like we are supposed to be with blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, Democrats, etc, basically anyone that is a non white Republican.

[Teddy B 17,252]

I think this means we should be wary of Brits, just like we are supposed to be with blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, Democrats, etc, basically anyone that is a non white Republican.

I made it easier for LIB to read.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I made it easier for LIB to read.

Knocked that right out of the park, you did...

[lostinblue 1,989]

I think this means we should be wary of Brits, just like we are supposed to be with blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, Democrats, etc, basically anyone that is a non white Republican.

Around half of the 500 who have travelled to the Middle East since Syria’s civil war began three years ago have now returned to the UK. Why worry ... See you in NY ... Or Boston spook

[JohnR! 5,495]

Nailed it!

I made it easier for LIB to read.

Edited August 21, 2014 by JohnR!

[lostinblue 1,989]

[JohnR! 5,495]

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Around half of the 500 who have travelled to the Middle East since Syrias civil war began three years ago have now returned to the UK. Why worry ... See you in NY ... Or Boston spook

I'm not worried ;-)