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In the media

Mark Singleton and Dr. Bibi van Ginkel on the killing of "Jihadi John"

November 16, 2015

On Friday 13 November 2015, Mohammed Emwazi, also known as "Jihadi John", a militant of the so-called "Islamic State", was confirmed dead after being hit in a US drone strike. A naturalised British citizen, Emwazi became infamous for his appearances in videos showing the beheadings of foreign journalists and aid workers.

ICCT Director Mark Singleton and Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel commented on the killing of  'Jihadi John' in various media outlets:

  • In this article published by the Dutch Public Broadcaster NOS, Mark Singleton argued that killing "Jihadi John" may hold symbolical value for Western audiences, but is not a game changer on the battlefield.
  • Dr. Bibi van Ginkel was interviewed in this news broadcast by the RTL Nieuws programme Editie NL on whether the killing of 'Jihadi John' will bring significant change to the security situation.
  • Dr. Bibi van Ginkel further argued in this article in the Algemeen Dagblad that the killing of 'Jihadi John' may have been a mistake by the West, as it was motivated purely by revenge and that a new, potentially Western,  'Jihadi John' may soon take his place.
  • Lastly, Dr. Bibi van Ginkel was interviewed by BNR Nieuwsradio on who 'Jihadi John' was and what effect his death will have on the Islamic State. Click here for the broadcast and article.