Jihadi John Named as Mohammed Emwazi from West London UK
>The Jihadi John Apologists: Outrage as Human Rights Group Describes ISIS Executioner as a 'Beautiful, Extremely Kind and Gentle Young Man' - Then Blames BRITAIN for Radicalising Him
Asim Qureshi helped name his friend Mohammed Emwazi as Jihadi John
Mr Qureshi said that MI5 had harassed Emwazi and help radicalise himCampaigner was tearful as he described him as 'extremely kind and gentle'
He added that 'the man I knew would never hurt a single person
''When are we going to finally learn that when we treat people as if they're outsiders they will look for belonging elsewhere'
Comments caused fury from people who believe MI5 were doing their job
CAGE broadcast was on Sky News for 58 minutes without interruption and the BBC showed it for 52 minutes
Daily Mail UK, 26 Feb 2015
The group who helped name Mohammed Emwazi as ISIS executioner Jihadi John caused outrage today after blaming MI5 for pushing him towards his killing spree in Syria. Asim Qureshi, research director at the rights group CAGE, described the world's most wanted man as 'extremely kind, extremely gentle and the most humble young person that I ever knew'.
At a press conference today Mr Qureshi was close to tears as he said Emwazi, who is linked to a string of executions of ISIS prisoners, 'was such a beautiful man'.Mr Qureshi said he was radicalised after the security services harassed him and alienated him because 'the man I knew would never hurt a single person.'He said: 'When are we going to finally learn that when we treat people as if they're outsiders, they are going to feel like outsiders and they will look for belonging elsewhere.'
Defence: Asim Qureshi, research director at the rights group CAGE, described Mohammed Emwazi, who is believed to be Jihadi John, as 'extremely kind' and blamed MI5 for his radicalisation
Unmasked: ISIS executioner 'Jihadi John' has been identified as Mohammed Emwazi from west London
Mr Qureshi was asked if he had failed to report him to the authorities if had suspicions that Emwazi was Jihadi John, but he said he had no idea until approached by journalists.
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CAGE SPOKESMAN WALKS OFF LIVE SKY NEWS INTERVIEW
A Cage spokesman walked off a Sky News interview live on air after being asked if he condemned the actions of Jihadi John.
Cerie Bullivant accused interviewer Kay Burley of asking him 'inherently xenophobic' questions, to which she replied: ‘Nonsense, get over yourself.’
Removing his earpiece: Cage spokesman Cerie Bullivant walked off a live Sky News interview
Off he goes: Mr Bullivant accused Kay Burley of asking him 'inherently xenophobic' questions
He claimed that the security services in Britain have ‘time and again harassed people and pushed them , and that has played a part in the radicalisation of this man’.
Mr Bullivant - who spent two years on a control order designed for terrorist suspects, but was an innocent man - was then asked by Burley: ‘Do you condemn his actions’
But he replied, before walking off: ‘I've already said… I'm sorry, I'm not answering that question, that's a ridiculous question, I’ve already gone through this and dealt with it.’
After he walked off screen, Burley paused before looking at the camera and smiling.
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The assertion that MI5 'alienated' Emwazi caused fury online, accusing CAGE of being apologists for 'barbarism'.
Bev Hateley said she was 'enraged and disgusted' by 'excuses' that 'Jihadi John was radicalised by MI5 harassment'.
Anthony Shaw wrote: 'So it's all the fault of MI5 that 'Jihadi John' takes great delight in cutting innocents' heads off.
Dean from Liverpool tweeted: 'How can MI5 in ANY way, even if they did harass him, create a man who cuts people heads off their shoulders'.
Another said: 'You don't go from innocent to executioner because your being harassed. Maybe MI5 had reason to suspect, and he's proved them right'.
Emails releases by CAGE today revealed how MI5 repeatedly tried to recruit Mohammed Emwazi as an informant and put him on a terror watchlist to stop him leaving Britain.
Emwazi is believed to have become known to the security services in 2009 when he was accused of trying to fight with Somali terror group Al-Shabaab in east Africa.
The British citizen, who was born in Kuwait and moved to the UK aged six, flew to Tanzania with two friends after he graduated from the University of Westminster claiming he was going on safari.
But he was arrested as soon as he touched down in capital Dar es Salaam and deported by Tanzanian's officials.
He flew back to Britain via Amsterdam and told a friend MI5 were waiting for him at Schiphol Airport and tried to recruit him to share information on extremists, Emwazi told a confidant.
Emwazi claimed that an MI5 agent called Nick accused him of trying to go to Somalia to fight for Al Shabaab and said:
'Listen Mohammed: You've got the whole world in front of you; you're 21 years old; you just finished Uni – why don't you work for us?'.
The Jihadi John suspect turned down the offer and claims he was told:
'You're going to have a lot of trouble ...you're going to be known...you're going to be followed...life will be harder for you.'
Emwazi claimed in emails to Qureshi that he was repeatedly approached by the security services over the course of the following year but he said he refused to co-operate and denied he had any links to terrorism.
Hostages who have survived being held by ISIS in Syria and Iraq have said that Jihadi John is a man 'obsessed' with Somalia and would make them watch Al-Shabaab videos while in captivity.
Hostages who have survived being held by ISIS in Syria and Iraq have said that Jihadi John is a man 'obsessed' with Somalia and would make them watch Al-Shabaab videos while in captivity.
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KUWAIT, BRITAIN AND TANZANIA: TRAVELS AND TIMELINE OF EMWAZI
1988: Born in Kuwait
c1994: Moved to Britain aged six, where he grew up in Queen's Park, west London
2009: Graduated from University of Westminster in computer programming
May 2009: Flies to Tanzania for 'planned safari' but is detained by police in Dar es Salaam. Eventually deported but he is allegedly accused by MI5 of trying to reach Somalia, en route in Amsterdam
Autumn 2009: Returns to Britain but soon moves back to Kuwait and finds work at a computer firm
June 2010: Counter-terrorism police detain him upon his return to London to finalise his wedding plans, and he is not allowed to return
2012: Emwazi heads for Syria and joins ISIS
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In June 2010 counter-terrorism officers, linked to the security services and Scotland Yard, allegedly arrested him as he tried to fly to Kuwait. He was fingerprinted and searched, it was said, and put on a terror watchlist preventing him from leaving Britain.
In an email to Mr Qureshi he said:
'I feel like a prisoner, only not in a cage, in London. A person imprisoned & controlled by security service men, stopping me from living my new life in my birthplace & country, Kuwait'.
Another friend said that Emwazi later tried to travel to Saudi Arabia to teach English in 2012 but again stopped from leaving.
He was 'desperate' to leave Britain and 'was ready to exhaust every single kind of avenue within the machinery of the state to bring a change for his personal situation', Mr Qureshi said.
Mr Qureshi said he last heard from him that year and said the Jihadi John suspect believed 'actions were taken to criminalize him and he had no way to do something against these actions'.
Soon afterwards he vanished and is believed to have travelled to Syria, where he may now be ISIS' figurehead.
On the scene: Police officers near the property where Emwazi once lived in Queen's Park, west London
If Emwazi's account of his contact with MI5 is accurate, his case has a parallels with that of Lee Rigby's murderer Michael Adebolajo, who was jailed for life in 2013.
His trial heard that just three months before the appalling murder in Woolwich, MI5 was trying to recruit Michael Adebolajo as an informant.
He had been on their radar for ten years and in 2010 was even arrested with fellow Al Qaeda followers in Kenya.
Adebolajo complained of being 'harassed' by MI5 agents before the killing and it later it emerged that they had failed to watch him carefully enough before he murdered Drummer Rigby with the help of his friend Michael Adebowale.
RELATED:
Jihadi John's Old University was a 'Hotbed of Radicalism Where Students Celebrated 9/11', Claims Ex-Pupil - and Hate Preacher was Even Due to Speak There TONIGHT
- University has been described as a hotbed of radicalism by former student
- Raheem Kassam claims he walked in on Islamic Society celebrating 9/11
- Haitham al-Haddad was due to speak at University of Westminster tonight
- Event postponed due to 'increased sensitivity and security concerns'
- It will not go ahead as planned after Jihadi John’s identity was revealed
- Mohammed Emwazi is a former student studied computer programming
Daily Mail UK, 26 Feb 2015
Jihadi John's former university was a 'hotbed of radicalism' where students 'celebrated 9/11', it has been claimed.
A former student two years older than the Islamic State executioner has lifted the lid on his time at the university - as it's also revealed a talk by a Muslim hate preacher has been postponed due to 'security concerns'.
Hate preacher: Haitham al-Haddad's speech has been posponed
Haitham al-Haddad was set to speak tonight, but the event will not go ahead as planned after it was revealed 'Jihadi John' studied computer programming at the university.
Today, the terrorist was named as a university graduate from London who was able to flee to Syria despite being on an MI5 terror watch list.
Mohammed Emwazi, 27, of Queen’s Park, west London is said to have travelled to the Middle East three years ago and later joined ISIS.
Jihadi John has featured in the execution videos of British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines, U.S. journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, Japanese reporter Kenji Goto and Syrian soldiers.
Former University of Westminster pupil Raheem Kassam, who campaigns against extremism at British universities, said the conditions at the university are right for the radicalisation of someone like Emwazi.
Speaking today, he said: ‘I once walked into a meeting of the Islamic Society where they were clapping and cheering the events of 9/11.
‘I did not know him, he would have been two years behind me, but I am utterly unsurprised.'
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Petition: Haitham al-Haddad was set to speak tonight, but the event will not go ahead as planned after it was revealed 'Jihadi John' studied computer programming at the university
‘The university was nothing less than a hotbed of radicalism when I was there.
‘Universities across the country, the University of Westminster in particular, are being targeted by radical recruiters.'
A spokesperson from the University of Westminster said: 'We take these allegations very seriously. We condemn any behaviour that promotes terrorism and violence on any of our campuses.
'We have strict policies to promote tolerance among our 20,000 student community, who come to study from over 150 nations.
'Any student found to be engaging in radicalised activity would be referred to disciplinary procedures.
'As a London-based university operating in a diverse multi-cultural city, we are fully aware of all the influences within this international city. With other universities in London, we are working together to implement the Government’s Prevent strategy to tackle extremism.
'We strongly encourage anyone who is concerned about radicalisation to speak out and contact the Student Support and Well-being team. The safety and security of our students is our foremost concern.'
Former pupil Raheem Kassam, who campaigns against extremism at British universities, said the conditions at the university are right for the radicalisation of someone like Emwazi
Dr Al-Haddad's planned visit to the university sparked anger and a petition launched by the university’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) society opposing his visit was signed by more than 3,000 people.
He has advocated that gays should be outlawed and has also praised terror boss Osama bin Laden. He has also spoken out in favour of female genital mutilation.
He has claimed Jewish people are descended from 'apes and pigs' and says people who leave Islam should be executed, although he has claimed in the past his comments have been misinterpreted.
This afternoon, a spokesperson for the university said: ‘Tonight’s event has been postponed due to increased sensitivity and security concerns.’
The University of Westminster has been criticised for segregating male and female students during talks by Islamic scholars.
It was one of 21 university institutions which were found to promote gender segregation.
Research by Student Rights, a group which aims to prevent extremism at universities, said that from September to March 2013, 46 events at 21 separate institutions were found to have been segregated.
At the University of Westminster, at least two events were found to have been advertised as ‘women only’.
The research found that on March 21, 2013 a debate entitled ‘Secularism vs. Islam’ was held by the Women’s Take on Current Affairs Society (WTCA), a Hizb ut-Tahrir front group, and featured Shohana Khan as a speaker.
When challenged by students as to why the WTCA was able to hold events segregated by gender, the Student Union Interfaith Officer allegedly claimed that the society’s events were ‘faith-based’, which exempted it from equal opportunities policy.
In addition to this, an event the following day was held by the Islamic Society called ‘The Concept of Love in Islam’ which was also advertised as ‘Sisters only’. It was logged by Student Rights for this reason.
Student Rights said that when a male student from the society complained about not being able to attend, the Islamic Society highlighted that segregated events were common on campus stating ‘we’ve had many brothers only events too...the information discussed in the only women talks/or notes can be put to the public after the talk...the topics at hand do not only concern women.’
The University of Westminster’s ‘Dignity and Diversity at Work and Study Policy’ states that: ‘The University of Westminster is committed to creating a stimulating, supportive, inclusive and accessible learning and working environment... The University has a legal responsibility to provide a healthy and safe working environment that is free from unlawful discrimination and harassment.’
Dr Al-Hadda has claimed Jewish people are descended from 'apes and pigs' and says people who leave Islam should be executed
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RAHEEM KASSAM'S ACCOUNTI did not know him, he would have been two years behind me, but I am utterly, utterly unsurprised.
The university was nothing less than a hotbed of radicalism when I was there.
Are the conditions at Westminster right for the radicalisation of someone like him? The answer is yes, 100 per cent.
I once walked into a meeting of the Islamic Society where they were clapping and cheering the events of 9/11.
It was at that moment in my life I realised I wanted to set up an organisation in my life to tackle it.
Having been brought up in a Muslim household and then seeing that happening is pretty galling stuff.’
Universities across the country, the University of Westminster in particular, are being targeted by radical recruiters.
These guys [students] are being professionally radicalised. They tried it with me and they try it with any Muslim.
I remember very vividly how I would get cornered by three or four Somali guys - students in the class with me who were dressed in non-western clothing – and they would say I must come along to the Islamic Society meetings otherwise I’m not a proper Muslim.
When you are 18-years-old and a practising Muslim you feel inclined to go.
I went along and saw what was happening and it absolutely disgusted me.
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Asim Qureshi Discusses the Man Behind the Mask of Jihadi John