3 teenage ‘cultists’ arrested for IS-style murder of 13-yr-old student in Japan

Japanese police have arrested three teenagers in connection with the brutal 'Jihadi John' style murder of a 13-year-old student, Ryota Uemura, in Kawasaki City, near capital city Tokyo.

Ryota’s naked body was found near the Tama River on Friday the 20th of February with stab wounds to his neck, face and arms.

Police arrested three teenagers, 18-year-old high school student and two 17-year-olds, on Friday.

Mirror reports that investigators believe the killers attempted to decapitate him, and might have been influenced by Islamic State execution videos.

"Some investigators suspect (the criminals) watched internet videos showing the execution of hostages by Islamic State fighters and sought to mimic them," a source quoted in the report said.

NHK reports that the Police say the 18-year-old boy has refused to say anything about the case while the 17-year-olds denied the allegations.

Police believe that the three boys may be connected with the horrifying killing after CCTV footage showed Ryota among a group of boys walking to towards the river where his body was found.

According to the report, Ryota was subjected to escalating violence after he tried to cut ties with the gang.

He was beaten by members of the ‘gang’ in January and recently wrote on the messaging app Line that he might be killed.