On Thursday, British and American security officials revealed they believe the Islamic State member commonly referred to in the media as “Jihadi John” is a British citizen by the name of Mohamed Emwazi.
A prominent figure in the brutal beheading videos the terrorist group releases as propaganda, the English-accented figure clad in black robes was previously unidentified. Now that his identity is out, information has begun to emerge about Emzawi’s life prior to joining the extremist group.
Here are 10 points of interest on one of the most visible members of the Islamic State:
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It appears that Emwazi is a well-known figure among the foreign fighters in the group’s ranks, and some former members of the group described him in brutal terms to The Guardian. “To us, he was the British guy who slaughters people,” one former member told the paper, which describes his reputation as one of a “ruthless executioner.” The Guardian also spoke with a former hostage who was familiar with Emwazi and who called the former Londoner “cold, sadistic and merciless.”
Additional reporting contributed by Charlotte Alfred.
