SAS hero who battled terrorists in Kenya siege reveals identity for first time
AN EX-SAS hero has unmasked himself so he can publish an account of how he ended a terror hotel siege.
The Special Forces soldier posted a picture showing his face as he prepared to storm a luxury hotel complex in 2019.
In previously published pictures his features were hidden.
The veteran, who uses the pseudonym Christian Craighead, won a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, the UK’s second highest medal, for ending the siege which left at least 21 people dead in Nairobi, Kenya.
His actions saved hundreds of lives but he is locked in a fight with MoD censors over rights to publish his story.
The Brit was engaged to President Trump’s White House photographer Shealah Craighead at the time.
He was in Kenya on an SAS mission to train local forces and was relaxing off-duty when Somali-based Al Shabaab militants attacked the Dusit D2 complex.
He raced to the scene in his civvies, pulled on a camouflage flak jacket, then led a counter-attack armed with a Colt Canada C8 assault rifle, Glock 17 pistol and combat knife.
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In a message online he said he had no choice but to reveal his face before it was leaked.
He wrote: “I’m doing this earlier than I planned but the actions of others have forced my hand into prematurely revealing my face.”
Christian’s book was due to be published last month but the MoD was checking it against a confidentiality agreement.