Sally-Anne Jones
Sally Jones | |
---|---|
Born | Sally-Anne Frances Jones 17 November 1968 Greenwich, United Kingdom |
Died | June 2017 (aged 48) |
Other names |
|
Occupation(s) | Jihad recruiter, musician |
Known for | Joining ISIS with her 12 year old child. |
Sally-Anne Frances Jones (17 November 1968 – c. June 2017) was a British
Early life
Jones was born in
ISIS
Jones converted to Islam and left her previous partner
Hussain was killed by a U.S.
Jones's activity online was consistent with her role as leader of the secret Anwar al-Awlaki battalion’s female wing. In this role, Jones was responsible for training all European female recruits, or muhajirat, in the use of weapons and tactics. These muhajirat were then trained and instructed to carry out suicide missions in the West, according to leaked ISIS documents.[13] Despite some reports, according to Kim Sengupta in The Independent, there is no proof of her leading all-female groups of ISIS members into battle.[14]
According to the
Jones's most meaningful contribution to the terrorist organization is thought to have been the influence she was able to exert on women globally, specifically western women, to join ISIS.[2] She had said she was "leading a battalion of jihadist women".[2]
Probable death and aftermath
In October 2017, the Daily Mirror reported that Jones had been killed in an American drone strike in June 2017 along with her 12-year-old son, JoJo. While the mother and son are presumed to have been killed in Raqqa while escaping the drone strike, this has not been confirmed because DNA evidence was never recovered.[18][2] The pair were believed to be on their way to ISIS-occupied Mayadin.[2] According to Shiraz Maher, Jones is the first woman to have been directly targeted in an airstrike, and one of only two women considered at the time by the American state department as a foreign terrorist combatant.[4]
Jones had decided to raise her younger son, JoJo, as an ISIS child soldier.[19] Her former partner said in August 2016 that their son had participated in a video in which JoJo, along with four other boys, had shot five Kurdish hostages in the back of the head.[20] Jones issued a statement saying the boy was not JoJo.[14]
Jones and her husband regularly used their son as a human shield to prevent being targeted by drone attacks.[21] The legal case for the killings of JoJo and his mother has been contested because his age means he would be classified as a "non-combatant".[22][23]
According to guidance from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Jones may not be considered a member of ISIS (she would be a legitimate target if she was), because she did not carry out a "continuous combat function".[24] Amnesty International said the killing of Jones and her son was of "questionable legality".[23]
An older son, aged 20, remained in the UK.[7] JoJo's reported death was disputed in November 2017 by Syrian sources.[25] However, in January 2018, Dipesh Gadher of The Sunday Times wrote of an "informed source" who had told him "it's 99.9% certain that they were both killed".[citation needed]
A member of "The Beatles" terrorist group, Alexanda Kotey, said on ITV News in late May 2019 that Jones and her son were killed in a building that was shelled on 25 May 2017, a few days after the Manchester Arena bombing.[26][27]
See also
Notes
References
- ^ Ensor, Josie (11 September 2016). "Revealed: Isil bride Sally Jones's role in training female recruits for attacks on West". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Cockburn, Harry (12 October 2017). "Sally Jones: Who was the 'White Widow'? What we know about the Isis member reportedly killed in a US drone strike". The Independent. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
- ^ Humphries, Will (13 October 2017). "Sally Jones profile: How online love affair turned single mother into a fanatic". The Times. Retrieved 13 October 2017. (subscription required)
- ^ a b c Weaver, Matthew (12 October 2017). "Sally Jones: UK punk singer who became leading Isis recruiter". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- ^ a b c Gadher, Dipesh (7 September 2014). "Sally Jones: 'My son and I love life with the beheaders'". The Sunday Times. London. Retrieved 15 October 2017. (subscription required)
- ^ Gadher, Dipesh (15 August 2015). "Jihadist Sally lived on church aid". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 14 October 2017. (subscription required)
- ^ a b c Hamilton, Fiona; Johnston, Neil (12 October 2017). "Punk rocker Sally Jones vowed to fight England until her last breath". The Times. Retrieved 12 October 2017. (subscription required)
- Washington DC. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
Centcom has confirmed the death of ISIL operative Junaid Hussain, a British citizen who was killed by a U.S. airstrike Aug. 24 in the ISIL stronghold of Raqqah, Syria, the colonel said.
- ^ James Cartledge (16 September 2015). "Isis terrorist Junaid Hussain killed in drone attack after boffins 'crack group's code'". Archived from the original on 7 January 2016.
- ^ "Widow of British jihadist 'proud' he was killed by US". The Daily Telegraph. 15 September 2015. Archived from the original on 19 November 2016.
- ^ Gadher, Dipesh (15 October 2017). "My pillow talk with Jihadi Sally". The Sunday Times. -London. Retrieved 15 October 2017. (subscription required)
- ^ Riley-Smith, Ben (29 September 2015). "British jihadists plotting attacks for Isil added to worldwide 'banned list' by David Cameron". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ^ "Revealed: Isil bride Sally Jones's role in training female recruits for attacks on West". The Daily Telegraph. 11 September 2016. Archived from the original on 19 November 2016.
- ^ a b Sengupta, Kim (12 October 2017). "Sally Jones: How did a woman from Kent join Isis and became the 'White Widow'?". The Independent. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
- ^ "Sally Jones: Isis recruiter 'issues series of terror threats against UK cities' over Twitter". The Independent. 25 May 2016. Archived from the original on 19 November 2016.
- ^ a b "Sally Jones". Counter Extremism Project. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- ^ Gadher, Dipesh (7 May 2017). "'Mrs Terror', the Kent jihadist Sally Jones, shoots up US kill list". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 October 2017. (subscription required)
- ^ MacAskill, Ewan (12 October 2017). "British Isis member Sally Jones 'killed in airstrike with 12-year-old son'". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- ^ Gadher, Dipesh (28 August 2016). "Isis video's 'lion cub' killer may be British". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
- ISSN 0140-0460.
- ^ MacAskill, Ewen (12 October 2017). "British Isis member Sally Jones 'killed in airstrike with 12-year-old son'". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
- ^ Bowcott, Owen (12 October 2017). "Is the targeting of Isis member Sally Jones legally justified?". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ^ a b Iaccino, Ludovica (16 October 2017). "Was Sally Jones's 12-year-old son a legitimate target? US drone strike on Isis 'white widow' questioned". International Business Times. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- ^ Sari, Aurel (18 October 2017). "Was the drone strike on IS recruiter Sally Jones lawful?". The Conversation. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- ^ Evans, Josie (14 November 2017). "Isil recruiter 'white widow' Sally Jones' son JoJo 'still alive' and fighting for jihadists in last desert territory". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
- ^ Sanchez, Raf (29 May 2019). "Isil recruiter Sally Jones killed 'days after Manchester bombing'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ Kachroo, Rohit (29 May 2019). "'White Widow' Sally Jones was killed by airstrike, a so-called Islamic State hostage-keeper tells ITV News". ITV News. Retrieved 30 May 2019.