The family of a Briton allegedly part of an IS terror cell linked to "Jihadi John" have spoken of their "deep distress".

Alexanda Kotey, a Londoner who has been named in reports as a key conspirator of Mohammed Emwazi, has not been seen for "a number of years" by his relatives.

Emwazi is better known as "Jihadi John" - the man seen murdering hostages in several Islamic State videos, including British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines.

In a statement, Kotey's relatives said: "The Kotey family are deeply distressed about recent media reports involving Alexe. They have not seen Alexe for a number of years.

"They would ask the media to respect their privacy and to desist from attempting to contact them, and not to seek to take or publish any photographs of them."

According to reports, Kotey is a 32-year-old father who converted to Islam as a teenager.

It is believed that he had attended the Al Manaar mosque in Notting Hill with Emwazi, who was killed in a drone strike in Syria late last year.

In November, Sky News named Aine Leslie Davis, who is also from London, as another associate of Emwazi's who had attended the same mosque.

Together, they were reportedly referred to as "The Beatles" by IS hostages because of their distinctive British accents.

Davis was arrested by Turkish police on the day before terror attacks in Paris killed 130 people - and faces allegations that he was plotting an imminent attack on Europe similar to those seen in France.

His wife, Amal El-Wahabi, was jailed for two years in 2014 after being convicted of funding terrorism.

The Old Bailey heard how she had convinced a friend to smuggle €15,380 into Turkey to finance her husband's fighting with IS.

Kotey was named following an investigation conducted by BuzzFeed and the Washington Post.

Their reporters spoke to neighbours of Kotey who described him as a "reserved, polite boy" who supported Queen's Park Rangers.