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(CNN) – A man with a British accent seen in Islamic State group videos showing the beheadings of hostages was identified Thursday as Mohammed Emwazi, believed to be from West London, according to Reuters, citing the Washington Post and the BBC.

It reported the identity of the man, who’s become widely known as Jihadi John, was confirmed to the Washington Post by one of Emwazi’s close friends.

London’s Metropolitan Police declined to confirm the reported identity.