High degree of certainty US airstrike killed Jihadi John, sources say

[Gabbar Singh]

British and US military worked “hand in glove” to launch an airstrike against notorious Islamic State extremist “Jihadi John”, Number 10 has confirmed, with sources adding that there is a “high degree of certainty” the Briton was killed in the attack.

The Pentagon confirmed on Friday that US forces carried out an airstrike in Syria targeting Mohammed Emwazi, the Isis terrorist known as “Jihadi John” after appearing in several gruesome propaganda videos depicting the beheadings of eight hostages.

Picture that has emerged since Briton was identified from jihadi videos shows a progression from ‘painfully shy’ child to militant ‘played’ by Isis

David Cameron is expected to make a statement from Downing Street on the attack later on Friday following reports from the US that the American military was 99% certain that he had been killed in a drone strike.

No 10 and Ministry of Defence sources were marginally less certain in their response to the reports of his death than US sources, but added there was a “high degree of certainty that he has been killed”.

A Number 10 spokesman added the UK military had been working “hand in glove” with the US on the operation.

Announcing details of the strike overnight on Friday, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said: “US forces conducted an airstrike in Raqqa, Syria, on 12 November 2015 targeting Mohamed Emwazi, also known as Jihadi John.”

“Emwazi, a British citizen, participated in the videos showing the murders of US journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, American aid worker Abdul-Rahman [Peter] Kassig, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, and a number of other hostages.

“We are assessing the results of tonight’s operation and will provide additional information as and where appropriate.”
Masked man believed to be Mohammed Emwazi in a frame from an Islamic State video.
Masked man believed to be Mohammed Emwazi in a frame from an Islamic State video. Photograph: Uncredited/AP

A spokesman for Number 10 said: “The prime minister will make a statement later today. We have been working hand in glove with the Americans to defeat Isil and to hunt down those murdering hostages. The prime minister has said before that tracking down these brutal murderers was a top priority.”

US has carried out an airstrike in Syria targeting Mohammed Emwazi, the British Isis terrorist referred to as ‘Jihadi John’ believed responsible for beheadings of hostages in propaganda videos. All the latest news, reactions and analysis here

The Associated Press quoted an unnamed US official saying that a drone had targeted a vehicle believed to be carrying Emwazi in Raqqa, the de facto capital of Isis in northern Syria. Fox News said a senior US military source said it was “99% sure we got him”.

Activist groups in Raqqa reported airstrikes and an explosion through the night of 12 November. A US military statement said one of eight strikes in Syria on Thursday had struck an Isis tactical unit.

Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, added that Tokyo was liaising with Washington over the outcome of the airstrikes.

Suga said the Japanese government was “aware of the Pentagon’s press statement on this matter, and we understand that the Pentagon is assessing the results of the operation. The government of Japan is in contact with the US government about the details”.

Emwazi is believed to have beheaded two Japanese hostages, journalist Kenji Goto and security consultant Haruna Yukawa, earlier this year.

In late January Islamic State released a video, called A Message to the Government of Japan, showing a militant who looks and sounds like Emwazi. The man, armed with a knife and dressed in black with his face covered, stands behind Goto before beheading him.

Isis had targeted Japanese citizens after the prime minister, Shinzo Abe, publicly pledged $200m in non-military aid to countries engaged in the fight against the group.

Diane Foley, the mother of James Foley, told ABC News that should Emwazi have been killed in the strike, it would be “really a small solace to us”.

“This huge effort to go after this deranged man filled with hate when they can’t make half that effort to save the hostages while these young Americans were still alive,” she said.

CNN reported that the families of Emwazi’s American victims had been informed of the strike.

Emwazi was born in Kuwait in 1988 and came to the UK in 1994 when he was six years old. His parents reported him missing in August 2013 and were reportedly told by police, four months later, that he was in Syria.
Mohammed Emwazi: from west London to Syria.

In August 2014, he made his first appearance – with his face covered – in the Islamic State video showing the beheading of Foley. In the following months he featured in similar propaganda films showing the killings of Sotloff, Haines and Henning.

In November 2014, Emwazi was believed to have carried out the killing of a Syrian military officer. He was filmed standing over the severed head of Kassig, and two months later appeared in a video killing Goto.

His nickname “Jihadi John” was given to him by a group of hostages, who described him as part of an Isis cell they named “the Beatles” because of their British accents. In February 2015, his identity was confirmed as Mohammed Emwazi.

Spanish journalist Javier Espinosa, who was freed in March 2014 after six months being held hostage by Isis in Syria, later wrote in El Mundo of his experiences at Emwazi’s hands.

“Jihadi John wanted maximum drama. He had brought along an antique sword of the kind Muslim armies used in the Middle Ages. It was a blade of almost a metre in length with a silver handle.”

Espinosa said the Isis militant would describe in graphic detail how he would behead his hostages and carried out mock executions with a Glock pistol.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...mmed-emwazi-uk-terrorist-known-as-jihadi-john

 

[Kean0]

When America want to kill off a bogey man i.e. Bin Laden they tend to decalre them dead.

Neverthless, this man didnt stand for anything good.

 

[Indiafan]

When America want to kill off a bogey man i.e. Bin Laden they tend to decalre them dead.

Neverthless, this man didnt stand for anything good.

You mean with the help of Pak army, government and ISI, dont forget that

 

[CricketCartoons]

When America want to kill off a bogey man i.e. Bin Laden they tend to decalre them dead.

Neverthless, this man didnt stand for anything good.

This. he was most likely a CIA asset, who needs to be bumped off after there is no more use.

 

[Yatoo]

Most likely this John dude doesn't exist. Scumbags creating scumbags for oil.

 

[uberkoen]

When America want to kill off a bogey man i.e. Bin Laden they tend to decalre them dead.

Neverthless, this man didnt stand for anything good.

Yes, and 9/11 was an Inside Job. Americans never really landed on the moon. Big Foot exists and the Pyramids were built by Aliens.

 

[Robert]

Leaving the world no poorer IMO.

 

[Indian_Supporter]

Most likely this John dude doesn't exist. Scumbags creating scumbags for oil.

Ah sure

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[Kean0]

Yes, and 9/11 was an Inside Job. Americans never really landed on the moon. Big Foot exists and the Pyramids were built by Aliens.

Taking a bit far there i'd say.

I did find it strange how the Yanks chose to shoot down Bin Laden and then put his body in the sea??

Emm Why?

Back to the thread. John was a bad man.

 

[hussain123]

Lol at "jihadi john"

 

[Yatoo]

Ah sure

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

I mean the person does exit but the personality we identify with him is CIA made.

Doesn't it sound good. American airplanes take out jihadi john. Boom. People are happy and billions of dollars can be continuously poured into war industry.

 

[Markhor]

Of course he exists - his name was Mohammad Emwazi and he used to live in West London.

He was targeted in a drone attack in Raqqa whilst in a car with others, safe to say nobody will be shedding any tears for this thug whose actions including beheading of innocent aid workers has dragged the reputation of Muslims through the mud.

Jeremy Corbyn said he should've been captured and put on trial, as do the family of Alan Henning and the CAGE advocacy group which campaigns for victims of the War on Terror. Now whilst I have reservations about drone warfare, the huge risk of civilian deaths and the use of signature strikes - how feasible would capturing him have been ?

 

[Adil_94]

Of course he exists - his name was Mohammad Emwazi and he used to live in West London.

He was targeted in a drone attack in Raqqa whilst in a car with others, safe to say nobody will be shedding any tears for this thug whose actions including beheading of innocent aid workers has dragged the reputation of Muslims through the mud.

Jeremy Corbyn said he should've been captured and put on trial, as do the family of Alan Henning and the CAGE advocacy group which campaigns for victims of the War on Terror. Now whilst I have reservations about drone warfare, the huge risk of civilian deaths and the use of signature strikes - how feasible would capturing him have been ?

I remember when his identity was revealed CAGE spokesman came on TV basically Becoming an apologist for him and blaming his radicalisation all on 5.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Bewal Express]

The murder of Alan Henning was the most senseless act I have ever seen even by the most stupid of terrorist groups. This guy was a willing puppet, and he deserved what came his way.

 

[Abdullah719]

A lot of chest-thumping going on in Western media regarding this. What a joke. It will hardly matter to ISIS. They'll just get another guy who will carry out the exact same activities on their behalf. 'Strategic victory' bla bla bla. It'll be a strategic victory when ISIS is driven out of the lands they are ruling and/or eliminated.

 

[WC-Passion]

Reminds of that documentary "My son the Jihadi" don't know why I watched it to be honest. Wasn't very good.

 

[chacha kashmiri]

The murder of Alan Henning was the most senseless act I have ever seen even by the most stupid of terrorist groups. This guy was a willing puppet, and he deserved what came his way.

It was sad , he was from Manchester and went out as a humanatarian to help fellow humans before he was killed by this animal

Not tears will be shed for the celebrity John terrorist who has ruined the lifes of families and chilled the spines of many a viewer through his chilling words

 

[Bullet Drive]

What is this Jihadi John thingy?

 

[Indiafan]

I mean the person does exit but the personality we identify with him is CIA made.

Doesn't it sound good. American airplanes take out jihadi john. Boom. People are happy and billions of dollars can be continuously poured into war industry.

If only world was so much in black and white. The only truth is idiots from BOTH SIDES indulge in mindless violence. And then opportunists from both sides use this to recruit more people and get more money, whether it is the terrorists or the US arms business

You just have to look at the world to realize that there is no big conspiracy, the world and people do not work that way. Everyone is in it for themselves, to make money and get power. The CIA 20 years ago is not the same as CIA of today. There is no giant conspiracy, there are indeed stupid people like Jihadi John in this world just as there are stupid mindless terrorists. The US is simply taking advantage of this, they don't need to create anything

The problem with conspiracy theories like yours is that is takes away attention from the root cause of the problem. Is US taking advantage of these attacks? Of course. Are businessmen happy with war? No doubt about that. But does that mean there are no nut jobs ready to kill others and themselves because they are brainwashed? Of course not

There are no end to nut jobs who do stupid things. But to deny that you are also absolving the society's responsibilities to find and weed and educate brain washed people. By just saying US plant you are ignoring the very real problem of youth being brain washed which is happening all around us.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

If only world was so much in black and white. The only truth is idiots from BOTH SIDES indulge in mindless violence. And then opportunists from both sides use this to recruit more people and get more money, whether it is the terrorists or the US arms business

You just have to look at the world to realize that there is no big conspiracy, the world and people do not work that way. Everyone is in it for themselves, to make money and get power. The CIA 20 years ago is not the same as CIA of today. There is no giant conspiracy, there are indeed stupid people like Jihadi John in this world just as there are stupid mindless terrorists. The US is simply taking advantage of this, they don't need to create anything

The problem with conspiracy theories like yours is that is takes away attention from the root cause of the problem. Is US taking advantage of these attacks? Of course. Are businessmen happy with war? No doubt about that. But does that mean there are no nut jobs ready to kill others and themselves because they are brainwashed? Of course not

There are no end to nut jobs who do stupid things. But to deny that you are also absolving the society's responsibilities to find and weed and educate brain washed people. By just saying US plant you are ignoring the very real problem of youth being brain washed which is happening all around us.

I do actually agree with the majority of your post here for a change. The only contention I have is why this idiot was built up as some major threat in the first place. In any case I'll be watching the latest series of Homeland to see how they can somehow transform Isis into a believable adversary rather than just a bunch of yahoos who were enticed into a fabulous bombing pit.

 

[MenInG]

British terror suspect Alexanda Amon Kotey, who was accused of beheading Western hostages for Islamic State, has pleaded guilty to eight charges in a US court.

Kotey, who grew up in London, appeared at the US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, where he pleaded guilty to:

• Four counts of hostage taking resulting in death

• Conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death

• Conspiracy to murder US citizens outside the United States

• Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists - hostage taking and murder - resulting in death

• Conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation resulting in death

District Judge TS Ellis read out the charges and told Kotey he faced life in prison after the US government agreed not to seek the death penalty as part of an earlier deal to secure his extradition.

Kotey said he understood.

The 37-year-old was one of four IS militants whose British accents saw them nicknamed "the Beatles" by their captives.

The group was made up of ringleader Mohammed Emwazi (known as Jihadi John), Aine Davis, El Shafee Elsheikh and Kotey.

They were accused of murdering a number of Western and Japanese captives, including Britons Alan Henning and David Haines.

The slayings were widely broadcast in graphic detail.

Family members of the American victims - journalist James Foley, journalist Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller - were at court but prosecutors said they did not wish to speak.

The indictment says that Kotey and Elsheikh were radicalised in London before leaving for Syria in 2012 as "leading participants in a brutal hostage-taking scheme" which involved murders, mock executions, shocks with Tasers, and physical restraints.

The group was accused of kidnapping the captives and engaging "in a long pattern of physical and psychological violence" towards them.

Emwazi was killed in a 2015 drone strike, while Davis is serving a prison sentence in Turkey.

Kotey and Elsheikh were captured in Syria in 2018 by the Syrian Democratic Forces, as they tried to escape to Turkey.

There is no news of a plea deal in Elsheikh's case and he is currently scheduled to go on trial in January.

SKY