Unknown jihadist replaces Baghdadi as Isil’s ‘caliph’

Terror organisation describes new leader as ‘an emir of war’ and issues warning to America

ISIL has announced an unknown jihadist will be its new leader as it acknowledged for the first time the death of its founder Abu Bakr al-baghdadi in a raid by United States special forces last weekend.

Five days after Baghdadi blew himself up in his hideout in northwest Syria, an official statement from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) said he would be replaced by Abu Ibrahim al-hashimi al-qurayshi.

Little is known about the man now in charge of the world’s most infamous terrorist group, but the statement described him as “an emir of war” with experience of fighting against the US.

It also gave his title as the group’s second “caliph”, indicating the diminished jihadist group still considers itself a caliphate despite having lost all of its territory in Iraq and Syria.

The new leader’s nom de guerre suggests he is claiming to be a member of the Qurayshi clan, the same clan as the Prophet Mohammed. Isil believes membership of the clan is a prerequisite for a caliph and Baghdadi also claimed to be a Qurayshi.

“As things stand this new leader is an entirely unknown quantity,” said Charlie Winter, senior research fellow at the

International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation.

“The nom de guerre is about as vague as it can possibly be, but that doesn’t mean much given that when Abu Bakr al-baghdadi came on the scene in 2010 he was similarly unknown.”

In the eight-minute audio statement, the group’s new spokesman warned the US not to rejoice over Baghdadi’s death because the jihadists retained the ability to carry out attacks.

“America, don’t you realize that the Islamic State is now at the doorstep of

Europe and is in central Africa? It is also expanding and remaining from east to west,” the message said.

The speaker in the audio message, named Abu Hamza al-qurayshi, confirmed that he had taken over from Abu Hassan al-muhajir, the previous Isil spokesman, who was killed a day after Baghdadi in a separate US raid.

The Us-led coalition against Isil released a statement immediately after the announcement of the new caliph. “Regardless of whomever becomes leader of [Isil], the Coalition remains steadfast in its commitment to defeating its ideology.”

Isil followers immediately began pledging allegiance to the new leader on social media channels.

“Based on the reactions that are already pouring in from the Isil community, it appears these new developments have energised the group’s supporters,” said Ritz Katz, director of the SITE intelligence group.

The new leader was chosen by the shura council, a consultative body of senior Isil figures.