British teen on UN's list of world's most wanted terrorists

A British teen who travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State has been put on the UN's list of the world's most wanted terrorists, becoming the fifth Briton to face international sanctions this week by the world body.

Aseel Muthana, 18, from Cardiff travelled to Syria in February last year to connect with his brother who had already gone to Syria to join the ISIS terror group and is also on the banned list.

Muthana has boasted of being ready to "die for the cause" and promoted jihad in media interviews. Last year, the teenager described seeing "martyrs" to the ISIS 'cause' and said he does not plan to come home.

Muthana's addition to the sanctions came at prime minister David Cameron's request, believed to be the first time any government has requested its own citizens to be added to the UN banned list in relation to the fight against ISIS.

His addition to the UN al-Qaeda sanctions regime list was expected to be approved alongside four other British extremists earlier this week but was temporarily delayed under the UN sanctions.

Under the UN sanctions, Muthana's assets will now be frozen and a travel ban imposed on him.

The "notorious fighters" had been plotting attacks in Britain and elsewhere and posed a "real threat" to innocent people, the Telegraph quoted a senior government official as saying.

"It sends a very clear signal we will absolutely take action against those people who have gone to fight for Isil and will threaten our country," the official said.

On the Consolidated United Nations Security Council Sanctions List, Muthana is described as a "foreign terrorist fighter with Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant" and wanted by authorities in the UK. The UN sanctions regime was set up to tackle suspected al-Qaeda terrorism and extended to ISIS.