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| Jihadi John: Mohammed Emwazi 'considered suicide to escape MI5 spies' before fleeing to Syria | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The British man named as Isis executioner Jihadi John revealed his hatred and fear of security services in a series of emails in 2010, saying he considered suicide because he felt like a “dead man walking”. | The British man named as Isis executioner Jihadi John revealed his hatred and fear of security services in a series of emails in 2010, saying he considered suicide because he felt like a “dead man walking”. |
| Mohammed Emwazi was indeed being watched by MI5, which had been aware of his extremist links for six years before he apparently appeared on video beheading American journalist James Foley in August. | |
| Previous revelations that he apparently managed to escape to Syria to become Isis’ Western poster boy while supposedly under surveillance have provoked outrage and sparked demands for an urgent review. | |
| In a series of emails to Robert Verkaik, Emwazi claimed he had considered suicide after coming face to face with a man he believed to be a spy. | In a series of emails to Robert Verkaik, Emwazi claimed he had considered suicide after coming face to face with a man he believed to be a spy. |
| The computer studies graduate was selling his laptop when he said the buyer called him by his first name, despite Emwazi not telling him what it was. | The computer studies graduate was selling his laptop when he said the buyer called him by his first name, despite Emwazi not telling him what it was. |
| “I felt shocked, & paused for a few seconds as he walked away,” he wrote in an email revealed by the Mail on Sunday. | “I felt shocked, & paused for a few seconds as he walked away,” he wrote in an email revealed by the Mail on Sunday. |
| “I knew it was them!! Sometimes i feel like im a dead man walking, not fearing they may kill me. | “I knew it was them!! Sometimes i feel like im a dead man walking, not fearing they may kill me. |
| “Rather, fearing that one day, I’ll take as many pills as I can so that I can sleep for ever!! I just want to get away from these people!!! (all sic)” | “Rather, fearing that one day, I’ll take as many pills as I can so that I can sleep for ever!! I just want to get away from these people!!! (all sic)” |
| Emwazi, a Kuwait-born Briton who came to UK at the age of six and lived in west London until 2012, had long complained of his life being controlled by MI5. | Emwazi, a Kuwait-born Briton who came to UK at the age of six and lived in west London until 2012, had long complained of his life being controlled by MI5. |
| The Independent revealed in 2010 allegations that he had been illegally detained on the agency’s orders while trying to enter Tanzania for a week-long safari holiday. | The Independent revealed in 2010 allegations that he had been illegally detained on the agency’s orders while trying to enter Tanzania for a week-long safari holiday. |
| Identified then as Muhammad ibn Muazzam, he and two friends alleged they were threatened with beatings by members of Tanzania's security forces and questioned by MI5 agents over alleged links to Islamic extremists. Jihadi John gained international notoriety in an Isis video showing him beheading James Foley | Identified then as Muhammad ibn Muazzam, he and two friends alleged they were threatened with beatings by members of Tanzania's security forces and questioned by MI5 agents over alleged links to Islamic extremists. Jihadi John gained international notoriety in an Isis video showing him beheading James Foley |
| Emwazi said he was informed on his return to the UK that they were on a terror watch list which prevented them travelling to any Muslim country. | Emwazi said he was informed on his return to the UK that they were on a terror watch list which prevented them travelling to any Muslim country. |
| In an email to campaign group Cage, he wrote that he felt like “a person imprisoned and controlled by security service men”, stopping him from living the new life he wanted in Kuwait. | In an email to campaign group Cage, he wrote that he felt like “a person imprisoned and controlled by security service men”, stopping him from living the new life he wanted in Kuwait. |
| Asim Qureshi, Cage’s research director, described Emwazi in that period as “a beautiful young man”, who was “kind and gentle”. | Asim Qureshi, Cage’s research director, described Emwazi in that period as “a beautiful young man”, who was “kind and gentle”. |
| He was heavily criticised for seeming to suggest that British security services had driven him to extremism by treating people like “outsiders” who eventually “look for belonging elsewhere”. CAGE research director, Asim Qureshi, was criticised for his comments on security services | He was heavily criticised for seeming to suggest that British security services had driven him to extremism by treating people like “outsiders” who eventually “look for belonging elsewhere”. CAGE research director, Asim Qureshi, was criticised for his comments on security services |
| Home Secretary Theresa May and the Prime Minister defended the intelligence services, calling them “true heroes”. | Home Secretary Theresa May and the Prime Minister defended the intelligence services, calling them “true heroes”. |
| Emwazi is thought to have been the masked English-speaking jihadist in Isis’ videos showing the murder of US journalist Steven Sotloff, British aid worker David Haines, British taxi driver Alan Henning, and American aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, who was also known as Peter. | Emwazi is thought to have been the masked English-speaking jihadist in Isis’ videos showing the murder of US journalist Steven Sotloff, British aid worker David Haines, British taxi driver Alan Henning, and American aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, who was also known as Peter. |
| He was previously part of a cell dubbed The London Boys orchestrated by Osama Bin Laden to wreak terror on the streets of London, including having a role in the failed July 21 bomb attacks in 2005, three weeks after the 7/7 bombings, court documents reportedly claim. Osama bin Laden allegedly directed an al-Qaeda group in London including Emwazi | He was previously part of a cell dubbed The London Boys orchestrated by Osama Bin Laden to wreak terror on the streets of London, including having a role in the failed July 21 bomb attacks in 2005, three weeks after the 7/7 bombings, court documents reportedly claim. Osama bin Laden allegedly directed an al-Qaeda group in London including Emwazi |
| Papers seen by the Observer suggest Emwazi was part of a group including three members who allegedly trained at an al-Qaeda camp. | Papers seen by the Observer suggest Emwazi was part of a group including three members who allegedly trained at an al-Qaeda camp. |
| Details of his involvement in the cell were reportedly disclosed during a court hearing in 2011 - two years before Emwazi fled for Syria after complaining of harassment from the secret services. | Details of his involvement in the cell were reportedly disclosed during a court hearing in 2011 - two years before Emwazi fled for Syria after complaining of harassment from the secret services. |
| Additonal reporting by PA | Additonal reporting by PA |