Islamic State British fighters account for one-fourth of foreign jihadists

The Islamic State British fighters account for almost a quarter of foreign jihadists with an estimate of 500 Britons among 2,000 foreign fighters from across Europe, say reports.

The beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley is the most recent example of the brutal atrocities being committed by British jihadists in Iraq and Syria, reports the Independent.

According to a researcher at the Quilliam Foundation, it is easy for people to reach Syria through the neighbouring Istanbul in Turkey.

The killing of James Foley was evidence that the British jihadists were some of the most brutal and vicious fighters in Iraq and Syria, said Shiraz Maher, a senior researcher at the International Center for the Study of Radicalization at King's College London.