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Jihadi John's Travel to Syria

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Thu Feb 26, 2015 at 02:44:44 PM EST
Tags: Jihadi John, ISIS, Iraq, Syria (all tags)
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I see many news reports saying Mohammed Emwazi, aka "Jihadi John" went to Syria in 2012. CAGE says it was 2013.

In early 2013, Mohammed's father suggested that he should think about changing his name by deed poll, so that perhaps the name that he had been known under thus far, might not cause him further problems as he sought to travel. He complied with his father's suggestion, and before long officially became known as Mohammed al-Ayan.

With one final roll of the dice, Mohammed bought a ticket for Kuwait, and attempted to travel there. Once again, he was frustrated as he was barred from travel, and once again questioned by the security agencies.

[More....]

Missing person

One week after Mohammed was barred from Kuwait again for the third time; Mohammed Emwazi left his parents home to travel abroad. Worried about him after three days of waiting for his return, the parents reported him as a missing person.

It was four months before the police visited the family home. They explained that they had information that he had entered into Syria. The father said that this could not be true, as far as they were concerned; their son was in Turkey assisting refugees with the limited contact they had managed with him during that period.

Based on his parents' description of their communications with him, it would appear he entered through Turkey.

Why did his father suggest changing his name? Because in addition to not being able to travel to Kuwait:

In 2012, Mohammed chose to completely change direction in pursuing a future life outside of the UK. His frustration with his predicament resulted in him choosing to undertake a SELTA course with two other friends, which he passed well.

Following this success, Mohammed Emwazi undertook interviews with a number of English language centres in Saudi Arabia, only to find out the while his two friends had been accepted, he had been rejected and would not be able to make the new life he desired.

< "Jihadi John" Identified | Friday Open Thread >

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    Jihadi John's Travel to Syria | 4 comments (4 topical)

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    Timeline (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by Politalkix on Thu Feb 26, 2015 at 09:43:49 PM EST
    If you follow the timeline

    Mr. Joshi said there were doubts about CAGE's "crude and simplistic" narrative of radicalization because of police mistreatment, saying that there was evidence of Mr. Emwazi's involvement with Somalia before he was ever detained, and long before the Syrian civil war and the rise of Islamic State.

    Here is the article you're obliquely (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by Mr Natural on Fri Feb 27, 2015 at 09:01:19 AM EST
    referring to:

    In the Telegraph, "Cage's claim that Jihadi John was pushed to violence would be funny if the charges were not so serious" by Shashank Joshi.

    There are some men whose cruelty only seems comprehensible with the aid of a jocular epithet: Comical Ali, or Uncle Joe. We can add Jihadi John to that list. He may have been unveiled on Thursday as Londoner Mohammed Emwazi, "cold, sadistic, and merciless" in the words of one hostage he guarded, but the incongruous nickname seems likely to stick. This cartoonish image can also lead us astray.

    Cage is a British organisation that "campaigns against state policies" towards "communities impacted by the war on terror". It had been in contact with Emwazi until 2012. They portray him as an "extremely gentle, kind" and "beautiful young man" - words that might lead one to question their judgment - radicalised under relentless and arbitrary pressure from the British government. In this version, Emwazi is a tragic victim crushed by the power of an overweening security state. The world sees a butcher; Cage sees a dupe. In case anyone was in danger of missing the point, Cage's website broadcast a simpler message: "the state is the only terrorist".

    ...

    So if you think that Emwazi was really going on safari, I have a bridge to sell you. And some free travel advice: if you desperately want to see lions and elephants, my suggestion is that you opt for a reputable travel agency rather than a well-established jihadist network.




    Parent
    IMO rather naive of his father... (none / 0) (#1)
    by gbrbsb on Thu Feb 26, 2015 at 06:44:44 PM EST
    ... to think a name change by deed poll would not be flagged to the police and secret services if they really did have ME on their radar!

    The fact he was stopped him at airports (well that is his claim) means his name and passport number had been flagged which the Passport Office would have notification and it would have had to have been abysmally incompetent to not notify the police and/or secret services of his name change and new passport.

    Comment with name-calling (none / 0) (#4)
    by Jeralyn on Fri Feb 27, 2015 at 12:51:44 PM EST
    and personal attack on his family deleted.

    Jihadi John's Travel to Syria | 4 comments (4 topical)

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