A terror suspect who lived in Suffolk for several weeks under close supervision could have been instrumental in the radicalisation of Islamic State (IS) militant Mohammed Emwazi, it has emerged.
The University of Westminster graduate, who has been nicknamed “Jihadi John”, is wanted for the executions of individuals including aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines.
According to national reports from “security sources”, Kuwaiti-born Emwazi has been involved in terror-related groups since 2006 and it was suspect Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed, who lived near Ipswich for several weeks in 2011 under a control order, who initially recruited him.
Control orders were brought in in 2005 to place terrorism suspects under supervision when they could not be prosecuted.
The measure was last night criticised by Ipswich MP Ben Gummer, who has questioned why Ipswich and Norwich were used as places to relocate people to.
He said tackling the issue of terrorism and radicalisation at home was something the whole community needs to engage with, adding: “This is going to be a generational effort and we face that challenge in Ipswich just as much as we do across the country.”
Ahmed Mohamed, who is thought to have links to al-Shabab, is said to have introduced Kuwaiti-born Emwazi to radical texts and similar individuals. It is understood they met in 2006 at a London mosque.
Mohamed, who fled an Acton mosque in a burka in 2013, was placed under a control order in January 2011.
News of Mohamed’s time in Suffolk was only revealed in 2013 when an arrest warrant was issued. It was also revealed at this time that he faced more than 20 alleged breaches of orders restricting his movements.
Many of these were said to have happened after he was moved to a location near Ipswich.
Among the allegations was that he failed three times to attend the town’s police station, which he was obligated to do under his order.
It was also alleged he entered CSV Media, which provides internet-capable computers to customers, when it was in Princes Street on September 29, 2011.
Concerns were raised when Mohamed’s stay was made public, particularly by Ipswich Borough Council leader David Ellesmere, who said: “If somebody is suspected to be so dangerous that they do require a control order, or the successor, I think the authorities need to be made aware they have been placed in the town.”
Meanwhile, speaking in Colchester yesterday, Prime Minister David Cameron said he will do “whatever it takes” to protect the UK from terrorists.
He said: “My view is national security comes first. Whatever it takes, whatever is necessary to keep the British public safe, I will always be a Prime Minister who wants to push for those changes.
“Over time, yes of course, we are going to do more to make sure that as technology develops we can make sure we can keep people safe.
“I’m not satisfied that we can allow means of communication to develop, which in extremis, we are simply unable to intercept.”
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