US air strike targets �Jihadi John� in Syria

AFP, LONDON: A US strike on Syria that targeted British militant “Jihadi John” was “an act of self defence”, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron said Friday while acknowledging his death was “not yet certain”.
Cameron said the operation against Mohammed Emwazi, who appears in a string of graphic videos showing the execution of Western hostages, was a combined British-US effort.
“We cannot yet be certain if the strike was successful,” Cameron said in a statement delivered outside his Downing Street office.
If it was confirmed, it would be “a strike at the heart of Isil,” he said, using an alternative term for the Islamic State militant (IS) group.
But analysts said the impact of his death would likely be symbolic rather than tactical for the jihadist group which controls swathes of Iraq and Syria and is known for perpetrating widespread atrocities.
The Pentagon said Thursday’s air strike hit Raqa, the group’s de facto capital in war-torn Syria.
“Emwazi, a British citizen, participated in the videos showing the murders of US journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, US aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, and a number of other hostages,” the Pentagon said.
CNN and the Washington Post, citing officials, said Emwazi was targeted by a drone. He was last seen in the video showing Goto’s execution in January.

US air strike targets �Jihadi John� in Syria

AFP, LONDON: A US strike on Syria that targeted British militant Jihadi John was an act of self defence, Britains Prime Minister David Cameron said Friday while acknowledging his death was not yet certain. Cameron said the operation against Mohammed Emwazi, who appears in a string of graphic videos showing the execution of Western hostages, was a combined British-US effort. We cannot yet be certain if the strike was successful, Cameron said in a statement delivered outside his Downing Street office. If it was confirmed, it would be a strike at the heart of Isil, he said, using an alternative term for the Islamic State militant (IS) group. But analysts said the impact of his death would likely be symbolic rather than tactical for the jihadist group which controls swathes of Iraq and Syria and is known for perpetrating widespread atrocities. The Pentagon said Thursdays air strike hit Raqa, the groups de facto capital in war-torn Syria. Emwazi, a British citizen, participated in the videos showing the murders of US journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, US aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, and a number of other hostages, the Pentagon said. CNN and the Washington Post, citing officials, said Emwazi was targeted by a drone. He was last seen in the video showing Gotos execution in January.