Overview

British-born Sally Jones was a U.N.-designated recruiter and propagandist for ISIS. Jones operated on Twitter, threatening the lives of U.S. veterans Robert O’Neill and Dillard Johnson, among others. In May 2016, Sally Jones issued terrorist threats against the United Kingdom, including calling upon Muslim women to launch terrorist attacks in London, Glasgow, and Wales during Ramadan.Alexandra Sims, “Sally Jones: Isis recruiter 'issues series of terror threats against UK cities' over Twitter,” Independent (London), May 26, 2016, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/sally-jones-isis-recruiter-issues-series-of-terror-threats-to-uk-cities-over-twitter-a7049066.html.

Jones converted to Islam in 2013 claiming, in social media exchanges with Sunday Times reporter Dipesh Gadher, that the Iraq War “turned her” to ISIS.Dipesh Gadher, “Sally Jones: ‘My son and I love life with the beheaders’,” Sunday Times, September 7, 2014, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sally-jones-my-son-and-i-love-life-with-the-beheaders-wtvzx0xwqjb. Jones traveled to Syria sometime in the winter of 2013-2014 with her 9-year-old son to live in ISIS-controlled territory.Dipesh Gadher, “Sally Jones: ‘My son and I love life with the beheaders’,” Sunday Times, September 7, 2014, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sally-jones-my-son-and-i-love-life-with-the-beheaders-wtvzx0xwqjb.

In September 2015 Jones was placed on the U.N.’s most wanted list, by the request of British Prime Minister David Cameron, for affiliation with al-Qaeda and facilitating and recruiting for ISIS.“Sally-Anne Frances Jones Security Council,” United Nations, September 28, 2015, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list/summaries/individual/sally-anne-frances-jones. Jones responded via Twitter stating that she would continue to fight “England…until my last breath.”Ben Riley-Smith, “British jihadists plotting attacks for Isil added to worldwide 'banned list' by David Cameron,” Telegraph, September 29, 2015, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11897649/David-Cameron-adds-British-jihadists-plotting-attacks-for-Isil-to-worldwide-banned-list.html. This was the first time a country placed its own citizen on the U.N.’s most wanted list for association with ISIS.Ben Riley-Smith, “British jihadists plotting attacks for Isil added to worldwide 'banned list' by David Cameron,” Telegraph, September 29, 2015, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11897649/David-Cameron-adds-British-jihadists-plotting-attacks-for-Isil-to-worldwide-banned-list.html.

In addition to her online activity, Jones was the leader of the secret “Anwar al-Awlaki” female battalion of ISIS. In this role, Jones was responsible for training all European female recruits, or “muhajirat,” in the use of weapons and tactics. These muhajirat are then trained and instructed to carry out suicide missions in the West, according to leaked ISIS documents.Jodie Ensor, “Revealed: Isil bride Sally Jones's role in training female recruits for attacks on West,” Telegraph, September 11, 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/11/revealed-isil-white-widow-sally-joness-role-in-training-female-r/.

A Twitter account—purportedly operated by Jones—links to a U.S. government website announcing her U.S. designation.

Sally Jones threatens specific members of the U.S. military on October 3, 2015, five days after her U.N. designation.

Sally Jones threatens specific members of the U.S. military on October 8, 2015, ten days after her U.N. designation.

Jones was the wife of Junaid Hussain, the deceased British computer hacker formerly in charge of recruiting new hackers to ISIS. After Hussain was reportedly killed by a U.S. drone strike in September 2015, Jones boasted that her husband was killed by “the greatest enemy of Allah.”Tom Whitehead, “Widow of British jihadist ‘proud’ he was killed by US,” Telegraph (London), September 15, 2015, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11866046/Widow-of-British-jihadist-proud-he-was-killed-by-US.html.

Jones, who went by the moniker “Umm Hussain al-Britani,” used her Twitter account to propagandize for the group and release incendiary statements, including her wish to behead a Western prisoner in Syria and behead Christians with a ‘blunt knife.’Chris Greenwood, “Revealed: Benefits mother-of-two from Kent once in all-girl rock band who is now jihadi in Syria - and wants to ‘behead Christians with a blunt knife,’” Daily Mail (London), last updated September 1, 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2739006/Revealed-How-middle-aged-mother-two-Kent-used-girl-rock-band-reinvented-jihadi-threatening-behead-Christians-blunt-knife.html. She also served as a recruiter for ISIS“Security Council Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Adds Names of Four Individuals to Its Sanctions List,” United Nations, September 28, 2015, http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/sc12059.doc.htm. and has used social media to incite to violence. It is believed Jones recruited dozens of women to ISIS before the account under her pseudonym was shut down.Josie Ensor, “Revealed: Isil Bride Sally Jones’s Role in Training Female Recruits for Attacks on West,” Telegraph, September 11, 2016, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/11/revealed-isil-white-widow-sally-joness-role-in-training-female-r/. Jones has been associated with more than 20 handles on Twitter.Ewen MacAskill, “British Isis Member Sally Jones 'killed in Airstrike with 12-year-old Son',” Guardian, October 12, 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/12/british-isis-member-sally-jones-white-widow-killed-airstrike-son-islamic-state-syria.

In September 2015, Jones threatened U.S. military personnel, publishing 100 soldiers’ personal information in a “kill list.” Jones has also made individual soldiers the subject of her tweets, including a Navy Seal veteran who took part in Operation Geronimo to kill Osama bin Laden and a former army sergeant.Umm Hussain Britaniya, Twitter post, October 8, 2015, 1:16, p.m., https://twitter.com/OumHussain1/status/652170797914566656. American court documents released in spring 2017 linked Jones and her husband to a dozen ISIS plots, none of which were successfully carried out. Jones is believed to be one of the only women to have had a leadership role in ISIS.Josie Ensor, “Revealed: Isil Bride Sally Jones’s Role in Training Female Recruits for Attacks on West,” Telegraph, September 11, 2016, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/11/revealed-isil-white-widow-sally-joness-role-in-training-female-r/.

Sally Jones has called for attacks on the U.S. military

Before converting to Islam and joining ISIS, Jones reportedly lived on welfare and played guitar in a punk rock band. Soon before she fled to Syria, Jones worked as a perfume saleswoman for L’Oreal cosmetics.Colleen Curry, “A British Mother Reportedly Left Welfare Behind and Is Now Helping Recruit For The Islamic State,” Vice News, December 22, 2014, https://news.vice.com/article/a-british-mother-reportedly-left-welfare-behind-and-is-now-helping-recruit-for-the-islamic-state. She was reportedly interested in and contributed to online forums on conspiracy theories, black magic, and witchcraft.Chris Greenwood, “Revealed: Benefits mother-of-two from Kent once in all-girl rock band who is now jihadi in Syria - and wants to ‘behead Christians with a blunt knife’,” Daily Mail (London), last updated September 1, 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2739006/Revealed-How-middle-aged-mother-two-Kent-used-girl-rock-band-reinvented-jihadi-threatening-behead-Christians-blunt-knife.html.

Jones was reportedly killed, in a U.S. drone strike close to the border between Syria and Iraq. There has been no official confirmation of her death.Ewen MacAskill, “British Isis Member Sally Jones 'killed in Airstrike with 12-year-old Son',” Guardian, October 12, 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/12/british-isis-member-sally-jones-white-widow-killed-airstrike-son-islamic-state-syria. A source told the Telegraph in November 2017 that Jones’ son was alive and living near Syria’s eastern border with Iraq, however, there was no way to substantiate this claim.Josie Ensor, “Revealed: Isil Bride Sally Jones’s Role in Training Female Recruits for Attacks on West,” Telegraph, September 11, 2016, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/11/revealed-isil-white-widow-sally-joness-role-in-training-female-r/.