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Islamic State video 'shows killing of five men it says spied for UK' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Islamic State militants have released a video, featuring a man and young boy speaking with British accents, purportedly showing the killing of five men who it says were spying for the UK. | |
In the 10-minute film, the man threatens attacks in the UK and says this is a message for David Cameron. | |
A boy later appears in the video, which has not been independently verified, talking about killing "unbelievers". | |
The UK Foreign Office said it was examining the video's content. | |
IS has repeatedly used children in its propaganda videos. | |
'Extraordinary duress' | |
In the new video, the masked jihadi militant, who is holding a gun, mocks Mr Cameron for daring to "challenge the might" of the extremist group before he makes a threat to British people to "invade your land". | |
The five men, wearing jumpsuits, are seen purportedly being shot in the back of the head in a desert location, after making what is claimed to be their confessions. | |
But BBC World Service Middle East editor Alan Johnston says they appear to be "speaking under the most extraordinary duress" and "may be entirely innocent". | |
One of the men says he had been asked to provide information about the location of IS militants, including two Britons, apparently to help target them with air strikes. | |
Some of the five men say that they are from Raqqa in Syria while another says he is from Benghazi, Libya, but none that they are from the UK. | |
After the apparent killings, the young boy, who seems to be aged around six or seven years old, is seen pointing into the distance, wearing military-style clothing. | |
Analysis | |
By Gordon Corera, BBC security correspondent | |
It is less than two months since British IS propagandist Mohammed Emwazi, the man known as Jihadi John, was killed by a drone strike in Syria. | |
This latest video by IS seems to show another man trying to take up his mantle. | |
The identity of the masked man is so far unknown but authorities will be trying to identify him and confirm if he is British. | |
Emwazi was killed after intelligence - most likely from informers - located him in a vehicle in Raqqa, Syria. | |
The fact that this latest video shows the killing of alleged spies indicates the extent to which IS is trying to track down those who might be providing information. | |
Children also regularly feature in IS propaganda videos and the brief appearance of a child - apparently with a British accent - at the end of the video will also most likely be of interest to the authorities. | |
Alan Johnston says the release of the video comes in the aftermath of a "major military setback for IS" after it recently lost control of much of the Iraqi city of Ramadi. | |
He adds: "It's possible this is aimed at distracting attention from that defeat - an effort to shock watching Westerners and shift their focus." | |
Following the death of Mohammed Emwazi, the Briton who became known as Jihadi John, this new video shows "something of a replacement" for him, says our correspondent. | |
"That masked militant becomes the new masked face of the Islamic State, at least for British viewers." |