The News Minute | December 12, 2014 | 08:45 am IST
The man behind Shami Witness, a pro-Islamic State Twitter account, is reportedly an executive from Bengaluru.
A report by Channel 4 News on Thursday stated that Shami Witness, 'the most influential pro-Islamic State Twitter account to be followed by foreign jihadis', was shut down after the channel revealed the identity of the account user.
Giving away the name of the man behind Shami Witness, the report states that 'the man operating the account is called Mehdi and he is an executive in Bangalore working for an Indian conglomerate.' However, Channel 4 did not reveal his full name 'as he says his life would be in danger if his true identity was made public.'
Mehdi's tweets defending the Islamic State acted 'as the leading conduit of information between jihadis, supporters, and recruits', states the report. With over 17,000 followers, 'Two thirds of all foreign fighters on Twitter followed him.'
Mehdi used to regularly speak to British Jihadis, but he himself could not join the Islamic State as his family was dependent on him. "If I had a chance to leave everything and join them I might have.. my family needs me here", Mehdi told Channel 4.
The man who regularly shared 'jokes, funny images and talks about superhero movies, posting pictures of pizza dinners with friends, and Hawaiian parties at work' on his Facebook Page, 'seemed to express glee at the deaths and rapes of Kurdish fighters on Twitter, but later said that this comment was taken out of context.', adds the report.
Read the entire Channel 4 report here: Unmasked: the man behind top Islamic State Twitter account
Watch the video report be Channel 4 News here.