Abu Rumaysah Explained

Abu Rumaysah
Birth Name:Siddhartha Dhar
Birth Date:24 June 1983[1]
Birth Place:Edmonton, London, England
Disappeared Place:Raqqa, Syria
Other Names:"Abu Rumaysah al-Britani"
"Jihadi Sid"
"Saiful Islam"
Citizenship:British
Known For:Islamism and being a British executioner in the Islamic State
Spouse:Aisha Tariq
Children:5
Module:
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Criminal Status:Designated as a global terrorist by the United States.[2]
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Allegiance: Islamic State
Serviceyears:2014–?
Battles:Syria

Abu Rumaysah al-Britani, born Siddhartha Dhar (24 June 1983) also known as Jihadi Sid,[3] is a British citizen who is an Islamic State (IS) militant. On 3 January 2016, he was named as the lead executioner in a film issued by IS from Raqqa, Syria that showed the execution of suspected British spies against the Islamic State.[4] [5] Abu Rumaysah has been designated as a global terrorist by the United States.[6]

Dhar was born in London to a Bengali-speaking Hindu family of Indian origin and changed his name to Abu Rumaysah after his conversion to Islam.[7] [8] He is believed to be in his late 30s as of 2022.[9] He acted as a spokesperson for the Islamist group Al-Muhajiroun, an organisation banned in the UK, and worked as an aide to Al-Muhajiroun's co-founder, Anjem Choudary.[10] Dhar also owned a bouncy castle rental company.[9] He lived in Walthamstow. He used social media to promote his Islamist views and attended demonstrations in Britain against the United States, Israel, and Arab governments. In a video he posted to YouTube, Dhar described IS's self declared caliphate as "...a dream for all Muslims worldwide ... We can finally have a sanctuary where we can practice our religion and live under the sharia. It is a big, big thing".[5]

He spoke of his desire for the United Kingdom to be governed under sharia law on the BBC's Sunday Morning Live programme, and said of himself that he didn't "...really identify myself with British values. I am Muslim first, second and last". In 2014, Dhar was under investigation by British authorities for allegedly encouraging terrorism, but subsequently disappeared after being released on bail. Although he had been banned from travelling, Dhar departed for Paris from Victoria Coach Station in London with his wife, Aisha Tariq,[11] and their at the time four children, later arriving at Syria.[5]

Dhar wrote a travel guide to the Islamic State in May 2015, called A Brief Guide to Islamic State, and wrote of it that "If you thought London or New York was cosmopolitan, then wait until you step foot in the Islamic State because it screams diversity. ... In my short time here I have met people from absolutely every walk of life, proof that the caliphate's pulling power is strong and tenacious".[5]

He appeared in the Channel 4 documentary The Jihadis Next Door.[12] [13]

As of 2024, Dhar's current whereabouts are unknown. He is either still missing or presumed dead.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Counter Terrorism Designations.
  2. News: Indian-origin 'New Jihadi John': All you need to know. The Times of India. January 24, 2018.
  3. News: Indian origin British citizen 'Jihadi Sid' on U.S. terrorist list. The Hindu. 22 March 2024.
  4. News: Islamic State video suspect thought to be Briton Siddhartha Dhar. 4 January 2016. BBC News . 4 January 2016.
  5. News: Who is Siddhartha Dhar?. Dominic . Casciani. 4 January 2016 . BBC News . 4 January 2016.
  6. News: Indian-Origin ISIS Man, Dubbed "New Jihadi John", Designated Global Terrorist By US. NDTV. January 24, 2018.
  7. News: Indian-origin jihadist flees UK for ISIS. Express News Service. 14 November 2014. Indian Express. 19 May 2017.
  8. News: MI5 sounded Bengali boy: Report. https://web.archive.org/web/20160112084152/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160111/jsp/nation/story_63253.jsp. dead. January 12, 2016. Amit. Roy. 10 January 2016. The Telegraph. 19 May 2017.
  9. News: Speculation that ISIS executioner 'could be Walthamstow jihadi', report claims. Joseph . Flaig. 4 January 2016. East London & West Essex Guardian. 4 January 2016.
  10. News: Mother feared to have taken children to Syria linked with high ranking ISIS man. 1 September 2015. East London & West Essex Guardian. 4 January 2016.
  11. News: ISIS Executioner Siddhartha Dhar Seen as New 'Jihadi John'. Time Magazine. 22 March 2024.
  12. News: The Jihadis Next Door, Channel 4, review: 'shocking and crucial' . Gerard . O'Donovan . Daily Telegraph . 20 January 2016 . 25 March 2017.
  13. Web site: The Jihadis Next Door . https://web.archive.org/web/20170605210410/http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-jihadis-next-door . 2017-06-05.