From an ordinary boy to the world’s most-wanted man: Neighbours reflect on Jihadi John

TO NEIGHBOURS he was an ordinary teenager who loved football.

Mohammed Emwazi and house REUTERS/JONATHAN BUCKMASTER

Mohammed Emwazi aka Jihadi John and the suspected former London home of his

But Mohammed Emwazi, a cab driver’s son who studied computing, was yesterday identified as the world’s most wanted man.

Those who remembered the wiry student were stunned to hear him named as Islamic State executioner “Jihadi John”.

One said: “I just remember this polite young boy who used to play football near some garages.”

Born in Kuwait, Emwazi came to England as a six-year-old and his family settled in Paddington, west London.

Home eventually became a council maisonette in Queen’s Park.

I just remember this polite young boy

Former neighbour

Another neighbour said: “He seemed a bit different from his family.

"He dressed in an Islamic way, he would wear a jubbah and had a beard.

"The rest of the family wore normal clothes.”

Shortly after graduating in 2009, Emwazi travelled to Tanzania with two friends.

On their arrival, they were refused entry and, Emwazi later claimed, they were put on a plane to the Netherlands where he was quizzed by MI5.

Emwazi moved to Kuwait to work for a computer company but was barred from going back there after returning to London to finalise plans to get married.

He is thought to have been incensed by this decision and headed instead to Syria in 2012.

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