British national called ‘Jihadi Sid’ placed on global terror list for role as ISIS executioner
US officials have put a British jihadist on a global terrorist list and identified him as the replacement for Jihadi John as Islamic State group’s executioner.
Siddhartha Dhar was designated a global terrorist by the US State Department alongside a Belgian-Morrocan also fighting for the militants in the Middle East.
Dhar, a former bouncy castle salesman also known as Abu Rumasayah, was able to escape the authorities and take his family to Syria despite being on bail for terrorism offences.
After arriving in the self-declared caliphate of Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Isil) he was then believed to have appeared as a masked figure presenting a propaganda video which he said showed “British spies” being executed.
In the gruesome ten and a half minute clip, the men, who are wearing orange jump suits, each confess to passing on information about Isil and its operatives.
The US Government said the declaration of Dhar and Abdelatif Gaini as specially designated global terrorists would seek to deny them “the resources they need to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks”.
A statement said Dhar, who has been nicknamed ‘Jihadi Sid’ was a leading member of the now-defunct terrorist organization Al-Muhajiroun, alongside Anjem Choudary.
“He is considered to have replaced ISIS executioner Mohammad Emwazi, also known as Jihadi John.
“Dhar is believed to be the masked leader who appeared in a January 2016 ISIS video of the execution of several prisoners ISIS accused of spying for the UK.”
American officials said the designation “notifies the US public and the international community that Dhar and Gaini have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism.
“Terrorism designations expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and deny them access to the US financial system.”
Dhar was arrested in September 2014 alongside Choudary on suspicion of belonging to the banned group Al-Muhajiroun.
But to the embarrassment of the authorities, just hours after being granted police bail, Dhar caught a bus to Paris with his family and then travelled on to Syria where he joined Isil.
He then taunted the British authorities by boasting of his new life in the Caliphate and posted pictures on Twitter, showing him holding an AK-47 assault rifle in one arm and his baby son on the other.
Dhar was raised a Hindu, but converted to Islam to marry his Muslim wife Aisha.
Former neighbours in Walthamstow, east London, have claimed Dhar’s wife was more devout than him and suggested she may have put him on the path to extremism.
In the months leading up to his arrest Dhar was accused of burning poppies and calling for the imposition of Sharia law in Britain.
He was a key member of al-Muhajiroun and offshoot groups such as the Shariah Project, masterminding ‘roadshows’ in London that aimed to recruit troubled youngsters to Islam.
Choudary was later jailed for five years and six months at the Old Bailey for drumming up support for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
Source: Telegraph
