Whoah- this is pretty massive if true. Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary caught in Almeria, Spain. https://twitter.com/MatteoPugliese/status/1252571819007250432

1. Here's what I found out researching him- 1. Father was an Egyptian lawyer who was accused of being linked to terrorism. Whilst no charges in UK extradited to UK. He spent time in Long Lartin with the likes of Abu Qatadah and others. Suffered depression and mental issues.

2. Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary according to sources I interviewed and sat with say this: 1. He was the gym partner of Mohammed Emwazi also known as Jihadi John that he was mistaken for.

3. He was incredible upset about his father's incarceration- was involved in petty crime of the drug dealing variety - he disappeared for a while going to the Midlands and returned 'reformed' and more religious. And soon after left for Syria. It was a shock in the community.

4. Should also add that according to some, he was known as one of the hardcore takfiri types in Syria.

5. And yet he was not, as far as the people I have interviewed regarding him, someone who were in the same circle as Emwazi et al.

6. Some of the fighters have been under cover for a long time, but also wonder if the Covid-19 pandemic can be used as a cover to return. Only yesterday, intelligence chiefs said on Today program that one shouldn't lose focus: https://twitter.com/policia/status/1252556938996408320?s=20

7. One friend of Abdel Bary I interviewed said that he had travelled to Syria as a means of repentance, 'tawbah'- he felt that he was soiled by sin and that this was the quickest way to cleanse himself. The rest in the Lesson Green area were not necessarily motivated by that.

8. The last rumour (unverified) I was told that he was holing up in one of the border towns in Turkey after falling out with IS.

9. Just adding this thread by @Josiensor here on Abdel Bary- the British Jihadist presumed dead. https://twitter.com/Josiensor/status/1252607562522021888?s=20