ROTTERDAM, August 26 -- British Special Forces hunting the killer of James Foley are using an array of sophisticated equipment to track him down – and possibly free other hostages being held. De Peet Journal has obtained a detailed account of how elite troops from the SAS and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) are conducting high-tech operations inside Syria and Iraq, which could lead to the capture of the extremists within days. It emerged as reports suggested that British intelligence services had identified the true identity of the terrorist who beheaded Mr Foley – as seen in a video which shocked the world - known as 'Jihadi John'. De Peet Journal came aware that in the past 48 hours a ‘significant force’ of SAS soldiers and signallers have deployed to northern Iraq, joining Iraqi and Kurdish units fighting IS. They have separated into four-man teams and are accompanying local troops in an attempt to capture British jihadis, identify them and establish links to Jihadi John. A key suspect is 23-year-old Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary, who until a year ago lived with his family in their £1m home in the affluent London area of Maida Vale, but recently appeared on social media grasping a severed head, an anonymous government source told The Sunday Times. Once a British jihadi is in custody, samples will be taken of the suspect’s blood and DNA – vital in the case of UK extremists because the information can be matched to medical records. For identification purposes, a photograph is also taken of the iris – the visible coloured ring around the pupil – which is unique. One SAS source said: ‘It is possible to identify British jihadis on the battlefield by intercepting their radio messages. When they’re captured by the Iraqis or Kurds we’ll take a close interest in their questioning. ‘Gathering information such as their blood group and DNA, as well as voice recordings in either Arabic or English, will help us zero in on Jihadi John because it can be compared with existing data.’ From the battleground this information is sent via a portable satellite manned by a soldier from 264 (SAS) Signal Squadron, who beams it to a spy plane, such as the ‘Rivet Joint’ aircraft, circling overhead. Inside Rivet Joint, a 17-man team processes the information and sends it back to GCHQ, the Government’s secret communications headquarters at Cheltenham. Here it is analysed and matched against records of British jihadis believed to be fighting in Syria and Iraq, before ‘feedback information’ is sent to SAS teams.
The SRR’s drones can fly for up to 24 hours, climbing to an altitude of more than 18,000ft. From here they are able to survey hundreds of miles of territory occupied by IS fighters, including the city of Raqqa, where it is believed several Western hostages have been held. Intelligence gathered will be used in the planning stages ahead of any incursion by SRR troops into Syria. A source added: ‘The SRR is using strategic drones, which provide an overview of the ground, and tactical drones which can look over the walls of buildings and provide sharp pictures of suspects’ faces. ‘The ground inside Syria and Iraq is well known to British Special Forces after the previous Gulf wars. In 2008, the SAS destroyed the Al Qaeda-Iraq leadership and we’re confident we can do the same to IS.’ A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: ‘We do not comment on Special Forces operations.
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