News that the ISIS militant known as “Jihadi John” may have died in a US airstrike brought relief mingled with grief and vengeful thoughts on Friday to the loved ones of the two British aid workers he
News that the ISIS militant known as “Jihadi John” may have died in a US airstrike brought relief mingled with grief and vengeful thoughts on Friday to the loved ones of the two British aid workers he killed on video.
But beyond the emotional impact, experts on extremism questioned whether the demise of Mohammed Emwazi, a Kuwaiti-born Briton who came to symbolise the brutality of ISIS, would signify real progress in the fight against the group.
Emwazi was described as the ISIS group’s “lead executioner” by Prime Minister David Cameron, who praised the two British victims, Alan Henning and David Haines, as “the best of British”.
Relatives and friends of the two men expressed a range of sometimes conflicting thoughts and emotions.“After seeing the news that ‘Jihadi John’ was killed I felt an instant sense of relief, knowing he wouldn’t appear in any more horrific videos,” Bethany Haines, teenage daughter of David, told ITV News. “As much as I wanted him dead, I also wanted answers as to why he did it, why my Dad, how did it make a difference.”
Her comments were echoed by Reg Henning, brother of Alan, who told the BBC: “I was glad to hear he had been killed, but I would have preferred him to have been brought to justice.”
Stuart Henning, a nephew of Alan, wrote on Twitter of his own reaction to the news. “Mixed feelings today wanted the coward behind the mask to suffer the way Alan and his friends did but also glad it’s been destroyed,” he said.
Beyond the circle of those directly affected by Emwazi’s killings, there was unanimous condemnation of Emwazi but also concerns over the manner of his reported death.
“It appears Mohammed Emwazi has been held to account for his callous and brutal crimes. However, it would have been far better for us all if he had been held to account in a court of law,” said Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Labour, the main Opposition party.
But the raid was praised as “the right thing to do” by Mr Cameron, who said in a solemn statement outside his Downing Street office that Britain had acted “hand in glove” with the Americans and it was “an act of self-defence”.
