US, British intelligence reportedly identify ISIS fighter John U.S. and British intelligence officials know the identity of the Islamic State militant seen in the now-infamous video of journalist James Foleys beheading and are closing in on a dozen members of the jihadists support network in the U.K., according to a published report. The Daily Mirror reported Monday that U.S. intelligence analysts have used facial recognition technology to provide an image of the militant known as John based solely on the mans eyes. We are 99.9 percent certain now as to who John is, an American source told the paper, but investigators have had to tread softly in charting and approaching his wider network in the U.K. British intelligence officials told the paper that they would reveal the mans true identity within days. John came to global prominence in the video depicting Foleys beheading that was released on August 19. Speaking in a British accent with a distinct London inflection, John addressed President Barack Obama, saying that Foleys death was in response to airstrikes carried out by the U.S. against Islamic State, also known as ISIS, in Iraq. The paper also reported that intelligence officials believe they have identified the other two main members of the quartet of British-born ISIS fighters known among hostages as The Beatles. The group has beheaded Foley and fellow American journalist Steven Sotloff and has threatened to kill British hostage David Haines. It is not clear whether John actually carried out Foleys beheading or whether his appearance in the video was strictly for propaganda purposes. A similar video shows a masked militant beheading Sotloff, but it is also not clear that he and John are the same person. Meanwhile, the Mirror reported that a team of FBI agents had traveled to Britain last month and, working with local police forces, had identified twelve suspects who helped John by providing him with money and contacts, as well as assisting him with travel to Syria. The Mirror reported that the suspects are all British and most of them are based in the West Midlands of England. Some of them are already known to British security sources, having been linked to previously foiled terror attacks on the U.K. https://youtube/watch?v=8cX0sCqmHUk
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 09:27:17 +0000
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