IS Member, Sharrouf May Be Targetted In Drone Strike Before Death; Barrister Trying To Get His Family Back To Australia

While the Federal Government is still investigating the deaths of two notorious IS group members Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar, but Sharrouf was believed to have been targetted in an air strike months before he was killed finally.

Both the Islamic State fighters were reportedly killed in a drone strike in Mosul last Friday. A Sydney barrister who is representing Sharrouf's case, has told the ABC's 7.30 that was not the first attempt to kill the infamous IS recruit. Barrister Charles Waterstreet informed, a rocket from a drone shot Sharrouf’s car about two months ago. However, in the car, passengers were one of Sharrouf’s neighbours, his wife and a child, the neighbour died in the rocket launch.

"I suspect, personally ... that it was meant for Mr Sharrouf," he added. Mr. Waterstreet said, after the car was hit, Sharrouf and Elomar realised they were being targeted.

Their Roles And Responsibilities

According to an Australian security official, Sharrouf was involved with the Islamic State's leadership group as a security coordinator.

Meanwhile, Peter Jennings, a terrorism expert at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said, "I'm sure that we shared data with the US and other coalition members on what we knew of these people, their back-history in Australia.”

"But I don't see how that would lead to real-time targeting, of being able to locate an individual in a car at a particular point in Mosul."

Families Almost Sure They Are No More

As reported earlier, authorities are yet to confirm their deaths, but the families believe they both are dead. Sharrouf’s wife Tara and their five kids who have left for Syrian with the terrorist are now trying to get back to Australia. Mr. Waterstreet is helping Karen Nettleton, Sharrouf's mother-in-law, to get her daughter back to the country. Mr. Waterstreet added when Tara left Australia, she thought she was going to Malaysia.

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