British extremists are among the most ‘most vicious and vociferous fighters’ in the Islamic State's ranks in Syria and Iraq, a jihadism expert has said.
Sunni Muslims from the UK are taking part in the conflicts ‘in every way’, according to Shiraz Maher, from King's College London's International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation.
That includes acting as suicide bombers and executioners, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme after the video purporting to show James Foley's beheading by a British IS fighter emerged online.
Death: US reporter Daniel Pearl (left) was murdered in Pakistan by British-born Islamic militant Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh (right)
Mr Foley is the second American journalist killed by a Islamist terrorist. Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was murdered by British born Omar Saeed Sheikh in Pakistan in 2002.
The black-clothed and masked man, who speaks with a London accent, threatened bloodshed in the gruesome video, speaking with confidence of when he accuses America of plotting against Muslims and interfering in their affairs, before taking a knife to his victim's throat.
If it is confirmed, as it appears, that he is British he will be seen as the most extreme example yet of a fighter travelling from the UK to take part in brutal violence as a member of ISIS.
Allegiance: A member loyal to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant waves an ISIS flag in Raqqa
Mr. Maher, a senior research fellow at ICSR, told Today: ‘Unfortunately the British participation in the conflicts now raging in both Syria and Iraq has been has been one of full participation, one that has seen them at the front lines, taking part in the conflict in every way.
‘So we have seen British fighters out there operating as suicide bombers, we have seen them operating as executioners.
‘Unfortunately they are amongst some of the most vicious and vociferous fighters who are out there. That is unfortunately just a part of their radicalization.’
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