British extremists fighting in Syria have threatened to launch a terror attack in Britain in a mark of retribution against UK airstrikes in Iraq. They claim the attack would parallel the 7/7 London bombings and beheading of soldier Lee Rigby.
Reacting to Royal Air Force [RAF] missions that have struck the ISIL militants, vehicles, and positions, a British militant based in the Middle East delivered an in-depth interview via social media on Wednesday.
"Tell the Brit government to withdraw unless they want the days of 7/7, and Adebolajo [to] become regular days," he warned, referencing Michael Adebolajo, one of two young men who murdered Rigby in Woolwich last year.
Reflecting on the statement, a specialist in the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization [ICSR] Shiraz Maher, told The Times that the militants were claiming Britain "is putting itself in the firing [line] because of UK intervention."
"This man is with a group of British fighters. I would classify him as one of the more moderate ones and yet this is what he is saying," he added.
A separate ISIL militant, who hails from Coventry and has adopted the alias Abu Musab al-Jazairi, took to social media to warn Britons they would be held responsible for the actions of the UK government, the Times revealed on Thursday.
"To the people in the UK - because of the actions of your government it will be you who will pay the price, blame them and not us. Everything and everyone will be targeted, it is only a matter of time before it happens...," al-Jazairi said on Twitter.
His account has since been deactivated.
At least four British extremists have lost their lives in Syria since a US-led coalition began airstrikes in the region. France, America, and a number of Gulf states extended strikes from Iraq into Syria last week.
A Nusra extremist from Britain warned researchers from ICSR that it was "showdown time against the barbaric Yankees and their poodles."
"I doubt if British ISIL supporters & loyalists planning to go to Iraq and Sham [Syria] would want to go now. They could start attacking all-round the UK. Cameroun (sic) is a dumb puppy," the militant said.
"They should withdraw from the crusade before it's too late...these guys aren't afraid of death, the[y] rush towards it," he added.
The British extremist claimed the Nusra Front had no prior plans to launch an attack on the UK, but now seeks revenge unless British Special Forces withdraw from the Middle East.
Source: Agencies