MOSCOW, November 16 (Sputnik) — The UK Foreign Office is investigating reports that “Jihadi John”, a British extremist notorious for killing two US journalists in what the Islamic State (IS) called its message to America, has been injured in a US-led airstrike, AFP reports, citing the Mail on Sunday.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are aware of the reports but we cannot confirm these reports,” as quoted by the Mirror.
“Jihadi John” was allegedly present at a meeting of senior IS members from Iraq and Syria, who gathered to swear allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the radical Sunni group. The secret meeting took place at a bunker in the border town of al-Qaim, located in Iraq’s Anbar province on November 8. The exact location was known to a selected few.
Ten Islamic State militants were killed in the US airstrike on the bunker and 40 injured. Initial reports emerged, claiming that Baghdadi was among the deceased. However, on Thursday, the IS released a 17-minute audio message allegedly recorded by Baghdadi contradicting the early reports.
Following the airstrike “Jihadi John” and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi were taken to a hospital in Deir-ez-Zour, the Mail on Sunday reported, citing a local nurse. The hospital employee has allegedly treated the wounded, referring to the one of them as “the one who slaughtered the journalists”. “Jihadi John” and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi were then allegedly transferred to the IS stronghold of Raqqa.
“Jihadi John”, also known as Jalman Al-Britani, is believed to be the masked IS executioner, who beheaded US journalists James Foley, 40, and Steven Sotloff, 31, as well as British aid workers David Haines, 44, and Alan Henning, 47. The gruesome videos of the killings were later posted online. In the latest video, released in early October, the masked IS militant warned that a US aid worker Peter Kassig, 26, will be executed next.
In August, the United States launched operation Inherent Resolve to destroy and degrade the Islamic State. Initially, the US-led coalition launched airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq, later expanding the scope of operation to Syria.
