On Saturday, the Islamic State released another video featuring the execution of British aid worker David Haines. The recording is the third of its kind, following the executions of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff. The most recent execution progressed in an almost identical manner, ending with Haines’ beheading by a masked militant who then threatened to execute British hostage Alan Henning if U.S. President Barack Obama and UK Prime Minister David Cameron “persist in fighting the Islamic State.”
According to officials, the executioner is believed to be the same British militant responsible for the other two killings. The militant, dubbed Jihadi John, reportedly has an East London accent and is one of a group of four Britons holding a number of western hostages in Syria. Several sources claim that authorities have identified him and are currently trying to locate the hostages near Islamic State headquarters in Raqqa, Syria. Additionally, a former Islamic State hostage claimed that Jihadi John is in charge of security and has moved the hostages several times to avoid potential rescue operations. Furthermore, he alleged the militants used beatings, tasers and waterboarding to punish the prisoners and forced them to participate in mock killings.
MSA's Research and Intelligence Analysis (RIA) Group has been monitoring this situation closely and has identified the following implications:
In the videos of the executions, Jihadi John typically mentions recent airstrikes to prove that they were filmed shortly before their release. In this case, he stated that Haines’ execution was in response to the air strikes targeting the Islamic State at the Haditha Dam in Iraq. So far, the U.S. has carried out approximately 160 air strikes in Iraq, and the military campaign is expected to widen as more than 30 countries have pledged to help combat the Islamic State, including the UK, France, Australia and several Arab countries. With the expected increase in military operations in the region, it is likely that the Islamic State will carry out additional executions.
The Islamic State is estimated to have between 20,000 and 31,000 fighters, of which approximately 12,000 are believed to foreigners. The fear is that foreigners returning from the fighting in Syria could carry out attacks on the homeland. Additionally, the military action in Syria and Iraq could prompt solidarity attacks from Islamic State supporters already in the west. At this time, the group is extremely well organized and financed, making its money by smuggling antiquities, human trafficking, extortion, theft and selling oil through smuggling networks. The Islamic State is reportedly bringing in as much as $3 million per day, garnering more resources than any other terrorist group in history.
The Islamic State is estimated to have between 20,000 and 31,000 fighters, of which approximately 12,000 are believed to foreigners. The fear is that foreigners returning from the fighting in Syria could carry out attacks on the homeland. Additionally, the military action in Syria and Iraq could prompt solidarity attacks from Islamic State supporters already in the west. At this time, the group is extremely well organized and financed, making its money by smuggling antiquities, human trafficking, extortion, theft and selling oil through smuggling networks. The Islamic State is reportedly bringing in as much as $3 million per day, garnering more resources than any other terrorist group in history.
