Kuwait: Jihadi John's father could be sent to Britain by Kuwaiti authorities for questioning by Scotland Yard about his son. Jihadi John's real name is Mohammed Emwazi and he is a British national who has turned into an Islamic State executioner.
Jasem Emwazi, 51, lives in northern Kuwait, where he managed a farm supplies depot. According to a report by Daily Mail, he quit his job on Tuesday after Mohammed, his eldest son, was identified as the executioner featuring in Islamic State beheading videos.
Britain and Kuwait do not have extradition treaty, so it would be quite difficult for the authorities in Britain to get a hold of Emwazi. His lawyer said Mr Emwazi was not even sure his son Mohammad was the knife-wielding fanatic seen in the videos.
However, a Kuwait expert was quoted as saying that the country could act on a formal request by Britain for Mr Emwazi to be sent to UK or the British agencies could be allowed to interview him in the Gulf nation itself.
A strategic expert said that it all depends on Britain and Kuwait can not act on its own as there is no legal case against Emwazi in the country.
British authorities might be interested to know when Sr. Emwazi got to know that his son had joined IS in Syria and when he first suspected that the man in beheading videos was his son. Emwazi would be prosecuted under the UK Terrorism Act 2000 if he does not give the information he has about his son. The failure to disclose information that could prevent an act of terrorism or lead to the capture of anyone involved in terrorism falls under the act.
Meanwhile, Kuwaiti authorities are keen to play down all links with IS and Emwazi. Walid Al-Khubaizi, of Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “Emwazi is a British citizen who was raised in the UK, and acquired his culture there.”
Kuwaiti security sources say Jasem may be required to return to the UK, where his wife Ghaneya, 47, and four of his children live.
Mohammed Emwazi, 26, was born in Kuwait but moved to London in 1994 aged six. He returned to his homeland in 2009 but it banned him in 2010.
