Islamic State's top Twitter account run by Bengaluru executive, claims Britain's Channel 4 news

The most influential Twitter account supporting the Islamic state may just belong to an Indian. 

According to channel4.com, the official website of well-known British broadcaster Channel 4, it is the account of a certain Mehdi, an executive from Bangalore, who had been tweeting as ShamiWitness, a fanatical supporter of the Islamic State.

ShamiWitness had 17,800 Twitter followers before the account was taken down, reportedly after a call from the offices of Channel 4.

The account tweeted about 1,30,000 times, with a viewership of 2 million a month, according to Channel 4, before it was closed.

His tweets repeatedly encouraged British jihadis, speaking to them before they left to join Islamic State, and praising them as martyrs if they died.

Channel 4 claims Mehdi actually spoke to the organisation. Apparently he harboured a desire to join Islamic State but could not. "If I had a chance to leave everything and join them I might have.. my family needs me here", is what he allegedly told Channel 4. Perversely, he also expressed glee about the rapes and murders of Kurdish fighters via his Twitter account.

More disturbingly, the man comes across as extremely normal on his Facebook account. Channel 4 says that 'On his Facebook pages he regularly shares jokes, funny images and talks about superhero movies, posting pictures of pizza dinners with friends, and Hawaiian parties at work.' Apparently Mehdi also opposes rape on his Facebook account.

Channel 4 has refused to divulge the person's full name.