Terrorist in new ISIS video may be of Indian-origin

Image
Press Trust of India London
Last Updated : Jan 05 2016 | 3:22 PM IST
The terrorist dubbed "new Jihadi John" and appeared in the latest Islamic State (ISIS) video threatening attacks on the UK is believed to be Indian-origin British Muslim convert, media reports said today.
Siddhartha Dhar, also known as Abu Rumaysah, had skipped bail and fled Britain in 2014 with his wife and their four children to join ISIS in Syria.
Born a Hindu, the 32-year-old ran a business renting out bouncy castles in London before converting to Islam and joining the radical Islamist group Al Muhajiroun.
An official source told the BBC that Dhar is the focus of investigations into the video, which purports to show the killing of five men ISIS says were spying for the UK.
Dhar's mother and sister have also watched the video, released by ISIS on Sunday, and noticed similarities between the voice of the masked terrorist, being referred to as the "new Jihadi John" by the British media.
"I heard the voice, yes, but I don't know, I'm not sure of the voice. These are the most difficult questions to answer. I just cannot say. I'm not sure within myself whether it is the truth or not," his mother Sobita Dhar told 'The Daily Telegraph'.
His sister, Konika Dhar, from north London, said: "I believed the audio to resemble, from what I remember, the voice of my brother but having viewed the short clip in detail, I wasn't entirely convinced which put me at ease.
"I can't believe it. This is just so shocking for me. I don't know what the authorities are doing to confirm the identity, but I need to know if it is."
She said her brother had converted to Islam more than 10 years ago and her memories of him are from when they were children and teenagers.
"He was a very pleasant boy, and I know it may be hard to believe but he still is, and I still believe that he still can be that person," she added.
One of Dhar's former business associates told the BBC he had "no doubt" the voice on the video was that of Dhar, whohad been arrested on suspicion of encouraging terrorism by the British police but was later able to travel to Syria after being bailed.
His former neighbours from Walthamstow in east London claimed Dhar's wife was more devout than him and suggest she may have put him on the path to extremism.
In the months leading up to his arrest Dhar was accused of calling for the imposition of Sharia law in Britain.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jan 05 2016 | 3:22 PM IST

Next Story