This British Rapper Is the Prime Suspect in the James Foley Execution
British intelligence agencies trying to identify James Foley's executioner are reportedly zeroing in on a former British rapper named Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary who used to perform under the name L Jinney and appeared on BBC Radio in 2012.
"The MI5 (British intelligence agency) investigation into the man behind James Foley's murder is ongoing, but they have managed to identify the masked British jihadist who can be seen in the video holding a knife to his throat," a source told the Sunday Times.
According to the Independent, "A sound expert who compared the footage of the brutal killing with Bary's rap songs told the paper there was a "big likeness" between the voices."
Bary, who reportedly tweeted a photograph of himself holding a severed head in Syria earlier this year (the account has since been disabled), is also no stranger to intelligence authorities.
His father, Adel Abdul Bary, was extradited to the US two years ago to face charges for his alleged role in bombing two US embassies in 1998 and was reportedly a close friend of Osama Bin Laden.
Authorities say Bary—who once rapped about weed, alcohol and making money—walked out of his family's $2 million home last year, declaring that he was "leaving everything for the sake of Allah."
Friends say Bary became radicalised after coming into contact with extremists linked to hate preacher Anjem Choudary.
A former friend said: 'He had the talent – he could have been as big as Dizzee Rascal. He was doing music with huge names in the underground scene.
'People have got into his head – it's transformed a talented young guy into a vengeful extremist.'
