London :The UK government is believed to have drawn up a so-called “kill list” of British Islamic State fighters in Syria, topped by the dreaded Jihadi John.
The National Security Council, which is chaired by Prime Minister David Cameron and meets weekly, has reportedly authorised a list of about 10 extremists from his country including the Britons killed in a drone attack in Syria last month.
According to the ‘Evening Standard’, Mohammed Emwazi, or ‘Jihadi John’ as he is referred to, is at the top of the list after he was filmed carrying out barbaric murders of a number of British hostages.
The secret killing of Cardiff-born Reyaad Khan and Ruhul Amin, from Aberdeen in Scotland, was announced by Cameron in the House of Commons yesterday, triggering widespread debate here as it was the first time that the UK government targeted a British citizen in a foreign country.
“If we have no other way of preventing an attack that’s likely to take place on our streets other than using a military strike to prevent it, then that’s what we’ll do,” UK defence secretary Michael Fallon said today, as he gave more information about the drone strike at a media briefing.
Asked if a “kill list” of high-value terrorists existed, he said: “They’re a group of people who have lists of targets in our country, who are planning armed attacks on our streets, who are planning to disrupt major public events in this country.“Our job to keep us safe is to, with the security agencies, is to identify who they are, to track them down. And if we have no other way of preventing an armed attack that’s likely to take place in our streets other than using a military strike to prevent it, then that’s what we’ll do.”
A father of two other British Muslim men who are believed to be fighting for ISIS in Syria has now voiced concerns that they may be next in line for a drone attack.
Ahmed Muthana, whose sons Nasser, 20, and 17-year-old Aseel also left their home in Wales last year, said: “I am frightened because my sons are out there too. I worry that they could be on a hit list. I don’t think I will ever see my sons again… But if what the Government says is true (about planned terrorist attacks) then it was right what they did.”
PTI