CNN gaffe mistakes Vladimir Putin for Jihadi John

CNN has apologised after a technical glitch led to the station using a photograph of Vladimir Putin to illustrate a story about Jihadi John's true identity.

The mistake came as Max Foster, CNN London correspondent, discussed the fate of hostages held by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil) and the possibility that Jihadi John, identified this week as Mohammed Emwazi, would ever face justice.

Half of the split screen switched from the chilling picture of the masked terrorist wielding a knife to an image of the Russian president before it was quickly removed.

The episode was seized on by Russia Today, the state funded broadcaster which is frequently described as a mouthpiece for Moscow, as the latest blunder by the American news channel. It has gleefully pointed out inaccuracies in CNN's maps of Eastern Europe from time to time.

A spokesman for CNN told the Tass news agency: "Due to a failure of a video server during today's breaking news broadcast, a photo of Vladimir Putin, prepared for our next report, was accidentally shown.

"We apologise for that mistake."

Emwazi, a computer studies graduate who grew up in west London, was named as Jihadi John by The Washington Post this week, ending months of speculation about his true identity.

His London accent, violent rhetoric and masked face has become a standard feature of Isis murder videos.

He was one of a number of British-accented recruits, known by the Beatles nicknames John, George and Ringo.

The widow of David Haines, a British aid worker who was murdered last year, said that she wanted Emwazi to be taken alive to deny him the "honourable death" of being killed in action