Jihadi John 'in charge of IT security at IS'

“Jihadi John,” or, as he is referred to by Islamic State operatives in Syria, Abu Abdullah al-Britani, has assumed a leading role in the terror organization’s foreign jihadi corps, a significant part of the group’s fighting force, the UK’s Guardian reports.

Steven Sotloff next to his Islamic State captor, Jihadi John, in a video released Tuesday, September 2, 2014. (Screen capture: SITE/Twitter)

The man, named by media outlets as Mohammed Emwazi, also played a lead role in negotiations to free European hostages captured by Islamic State in 2012-13.

It is also widely believed that Emwazi plays a leading role in the group’s IT security, which has been able to disguise the origins of all communications between leaders in Raqqa and Western governments or envoys handling hostage negotiations, the paper reports.

It is believed that Emwazi was injured during the US-led air campaign.