Experts said identifying "Jihadi John", who appeared as the ISIS executioner in the beheading videos of Western journalists and aid-workers, could weaken the terrorist group's propaganda and might help track down one of the world's most-wanted men. Afzal Ashraf, a consultant fellow at the Royal United Services Insistute think tank in London, said identifying the militant, who's real name is Mohammed Emwazi, could make it easier to locate the jihadist on the ground. "An interesting impact is whether he will still wear a mask next time he appears in video. If there is soon a photograph of him in circulation, then he will be feeling as uncomfortable about his development as the police and security services," Ashraf said. Emwazi's unmasking could dent the effectiveness of the beheading videos as an ISIS propaganda tool, according to Ross Frenett, director of the Against Violent Extremism Network, part of the London-based Institute of Strategic Dialogue. "This will demystify Jihadi John, make him less of a scary character," he said. "He has become almost like a super-villain character, a hero in the eyes of jihadists. Knowing who he really is strips away some of his power."
