Updated

The former lawyer for the father of Mohammed Emwazi, unmasked as "Jihadi John" last month, says there is no evidence proving the masked Islamic State militant is his client's son.

Salem al-Hashash, who formerly represented Jasem Emwazi, said during a brief press conference Sunday that there have been "a lot of rumors and false information circulated in the media."

He said he filed slander lawsuits against "those individuals and entities who circulated these rumors," without elaborating.

Al-Hashash, who appeared flustered, concluded by saying he no longer represents the family, citing personal reasons. He declined to answer questions.

Mohammed Emwazi was first identified as the masked front man in a series of Islamic State beheading videos by the Washington Post and the BBC. Experts and officials have confirmed the identification.