{"id":187895,"date":"2016-02-08T05:55:25","date_gmt":"2016-02-08T05:55:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=187895"},"modified":"2016-02-08T05:55:25","modified_gmt":"2016-02-08T05:55:25","slug":"ghanaian-born-londoner-joins-isis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=187895","title":{"rendered":"Ghanaian born Londoner joins ISIS"},"content":{"rendered":"

A member of the Islamic State cell that oversaw the detention and beheading of western hostages in Syria has been identified as a 32-year-old Londoner, the Guardian has confirmed.<\/p>\n

Alexanda Kotey, a convert to Islam who grew up in west London, has been named as part of the British group nicknamed \u201cthe Beatles\u201d, which included Mohammed Emwazi.<\/p>\n

Emwazi\u2019s kidnap gang has overseen the videoed beheadings of victims including the British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines, and the US journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley.<\/p>\n

Kotey is described as of Ghanaian and Greek-Cypriot background and his whereabouts are unknown. His fellow west Londoner Emwazi was killed in a drone strike in November.<\/p>\n

Another west Londoner, Aine Davis, 31, has also been confirmed as part of the cell. Emwazi, Kotey and Davis, a former drug dealer who went to Syria in 2013, were friends in west London and attended the same mosque.<\/p>\n

Davis was detained in Turkey last November on suspicion of planning attacks in Istanbul similar to those in Paris that targeted the Bataclan theatre, the Stade de France and cafes and restaurants.<\/p>\n

A spokesman for the Home Office in London would \u201cneither confirm nor deny\u201d that Kotey and Davis were members of Emwazi\u2019s group.<\/p>\n

The Washington Post and Buzzfeed identified Kotey earlier on Sunday, citing a US intelligence official. ITV News also named Kotey, as well as confirming that Davis had been part of the terror cell. The Guardian has independently verified the names.<\/p>\n

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Aine Davis, in photograph found on the phone of his wife, Amal El-Wahabi. Photograph: Metropolitan Police\/PA<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Members of Kotey\u2019s family said in a statement they were \u201cdeeply distressed\u201d at the claims and confirmed they had not seen him \u201cfor a number of years\u201d.<\/p>\n

Kotey is believed to have attended the al-Manaar mosque in Westbourne Park, which was also frequented by Emwazi, who was known widely in the media as \u201cJihadi John\u201d. A spokesman at the mosque on Sunday said it could not confirm or deny whether the men attended because so many worshippers passed through.<\/p>\n

Saleha Islam, director of the al-Manaar mosque, told ITV News: \u201cWe are aware that certain people have joined Isis who live in the area of Ladbroke Grove; we have always condemned the actions of these extremists and will continue to do so.<\/p>\n

\u201cAl-Manaar is a centre where we have up to 3,000 people attending every week, it is not a membership club and anyone can come and pray. The suggestion that the mosque has radicalised young men shows how ignorant people are of Islam and how mosques work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kotey, known as Alexe, has been described by neighbours in his former west London community as a quiet man who was dedicated to Queens Park Rangers football club.<\/p>\n

Believed to be a father of two, the Muslim convert was deemed influential in radicalising young British men who have gone on to join Isis in Syria.<\/p>\n