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WORLD NEWSWednesday 6 January 2016

Britain accused of security lapse in case of jihadi who fled

In this image taken on Sept. 11, 2011, Abu Rumaysah, left, formerly known as Siddhartha Dhar, sent after he had already zen Mohammed Emwazi,
stands outside the US Embassy in London on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attack. Opposition left for Syria. who was killed by a drone
members of Parliament criticized the British government Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016 for failing to prevent “The system failed because strike in November after
a man charged with serious crimes from traveling to Syria to join Islamic State extremists. it allowed him to go to Syr- taking part in a series of
ia, even though he was beheading videos that
(Gareth Fuller/PA via AP) well known to authorities earned him the nickname
and had been arrested six “Jihadi John.”
GREGORY KATZ The accusations came after ed a firm link between Dhar times on terror-related of- Meanwhile, London’s may-
Associated Press British news media reports and the video, the Labour fenses,” Burnham said. or said a small child shown
LONDON (AP) — Opposi- that a man who appeared Party spokesman on terror- Dhar, a Hindu who convert- threatening non-Muslims
tion members of Parliament in an IS video posted Sun- ism said either way the gov- ed to Islam, taunted British in the same video should
criticized the British govern- day in which five purported ernment failed to properly authorities after his arrival be taken from his parents
ment Tuesday for failing to spies were shot dead might monitor Dhar after he was in Syria, posting a photo if the family ever returns to
prevent a man charged be Siddhartha Dhar, also freed on bail in 2014. Andy of himself on social media Britain. The boy, thought to
with serious crimes from known by his Muslim name Burnham told Parliament with his baby son in one be 4 or 5, was identified by
traveling to Syria to join Is- Abu Rumaysah. that a letter asking Dhar to arm and an AK-47 assault a man who told Britain’s
lamic State extremists. While nobody has provid- surrender his passport was rifle in the other. “What a Channel 4 News that he is
shoddy security system Brit- his grandfather. The man,
ain must have to allow me whose daughter was born
to breeze through Europe,” to a Christian family and
he tweeted. converted to Islam before
Although the possible link moving to Syria with her
to the video has brought re- family, said the boy doesn’t
newed scrutiny on Dhar, his know what he is doing and
sister said she isn’t sure he’s is being used for propa-
the man in the video and ganda purposes.
some who knew him in Brit- The Associated Press isn’t
ain say they can’t be posi- naming the grandfather to
tive it’s him. Official con- avoid identifying the child,
firmation is unlikely; Helen who is seen on the video
Bower, spokeswoman for wearing camouflage and
Prime Minister David Cam- saying: “Go kill the kuffar
eron, said officials won’t (non-believer) over there!”
comment on the identities London Mayor Boris John-
of the people involved. son said that the boy should
The masked figure in the be taken from his parents
video appears to have and placed in foster care
stepped into the role for- if the family ever returns to
merly played by British citi- Britain. q

US-led coalition: IS has lost 30 percent of its territory

S. GEORGE of their territory in Iraq and south, Iraqi forces and Shi- center last month, recap- ince. Car bomb attacks on
Associated Press 20 percent in Syria, adding ite militias recaptured the turing most of the provincial the outskirts of the city of
BAGHDAD (AP) — The U.S.- that they are now in a “de- Iraqi city of Tikrit last year. capital of the sprawling An- Haditha on Monday killed
led coalition fighting the fensive crouch.” But IS has also made fresh bar province. “All of these 11, just a week after IS was
Islamic State group said Since the U.S.-led coalition advances, capturing the things add up and we be- pushed out of Ramadi.
Tuesday that the militants began launching airstrikes Syrian town of Palmyra -- lieve this enemy is weaker,” IS still holds much of north-
have lost 30 percent of the in 2014, Kurdish forces have home to famed Roman- Warren said, adding that ern and western Iraq, in-
territory they once held in pushed IS out of parts of era ruins -- and the western IS has not gained any new cluding the country’s sec-
Iraq and Syria. northern Iraq, including the Iraqi city of Ramadi in May territory since May. “Militar- ond-largest city Mosul, and
Baghdad-based spokes- town of Sinjar, and driven of last year. Iraqi forces ily they are struggling,” he large parts of Syria. It also
man Col. Steve Warren the extremists out of a band backed by U.S.-led air- added. IS has continued to boasts increasingly potent
told reporters the extrem- of Syrian territory along strikes drove Islamic State launch attacks at Iraqi mili- affiliates in Libya, Egypt, Ye-
ists have lost 40 percent the Turkish border. Further militants from Ramadi’s city tary positions in Anbar prov- men and Afghanistan.q