The identity of the masked Islamic State militant known as 'Jihadi John', who appeared in various beheading videos, has been revealed.
He is recognised as a Kuwaiti-born British man from West London and his actual name is Mohammed Emwazi, according to British security Services.
The BBC reported that due to the on-going investigation, the authorities had decided to keep his name under wraps for some time.
Emwazi is believed to have travelled to Syria in 2012 and later joined Isis -- the Sunni militant group whose brutality is largely considered to be one of the most gruesome in contemporary history of terrorism. Since Emwazi appeared in most of Isis' propaganda videos, he had largely come to represent the group on many occasions.
Friends of Emzawi told Washington Post that he was from a well-to-do family and had studied computer programming. "I have no doubt that Mohammed is Jihadi John," said one of Emwazi's close friends. "He was like a brother to me. . . . I am sure it is him."
The man first made his first appearance in an Isis video while beheading American journalist James Foley. Thereafter, he could be seen in various other videos of the terror group. He appeared in the beheading video of US journalist Steven Sotloff, British aid-worker David Haines and British taxi driver Alan Henning.
The last major video where he was significantly seen was when American aid-worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig (Peter) was beheaded in another gruesome video.
Jihadi John appeared in another footage last month which showed the brutal murders of Japanese hostages Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto.
