The first Experience on American soil of Alleged main character in ISIS group – accused member of kidnapping and -murder A cell known as “The Beatles” – will begin on Wednesday near Washington.
Al-Shafei Al-Sheikh, 33, accused of Being involved/involved in the kill of American journalists James Foley and Stephen Sotloff, as well as aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller.
The next day for selection of 18 jurors, including six alternates, prosecutors And the Sheikh’s lawyers will fight swords for The first time in Federal Court in Alexandria, Virginia.
Sheikh and another former British nationalAlexanda Amon Kotey has been arrested in January 2018 in Syria while trying to flee to Turkey.
They have turned over to the United States forces in Iraq and traveled to Virginia in October 2020 to face shipment of Hostage taking and plotting murder US citizens and supporting foreign terrorist organization.
Coty pleaded guilty in September 2021 and is facing life in prison. under him plea Agreement, Kotey will serve 15 years in jail in The United States and then delivered to Britain to face More fees.
Sheikh chose fight charges. Facing an unconditional sentence of life sentence.
The four-member cell of the Coty and Sheikh, whose captives called them “The Beatles” because of their British accents, was allegedly involved. in kidnappings of at least 27 people in Syria from 2012 to 2015.
hostages each other of They were released after their governments paid the ransom, and they were at least 15 countriesincluding the United States, Denmark, France, Japan, Norway and Spain.
The Beatles allegedly tortured and killed their victims, including beheading, and ISIS released videos of the kill for advertising purposes.
The leader of the gang, Muhammad Emwazi, known as “Jihadi John”, was killed by an American drone in Syria in November 2015, while the fourth “Beatle”, Ayn Davis, was imprisoned in Turkey after its conviction on terrorism charges.
Koti, known as “Ringo” by the hostages, and the sheikh nicknamed “George”, allegedly Ashraf detention Services for Hostages and coordinated ransom negotiations, according to US authorities.
was the couple also Accused of get involved in Elongated pattern of Physical and psychological violence against Hostages”, including waterboarding, electric shocks and mock executions.
Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, Spanish photographer detained for six months in 2014, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that “torture and murder It was a daily occurrence.” in Atmosphere of “sadism.”
many of former The European hostages are expected to testify at the trial along with Yazidis arrested with Muller, humanitarian worker who kidnapped in Syria in 2013.
Müller parents She says she was tortured before being handed over over for ISIS group Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. who She was allegedly raped repeatedly before killing she has.
According to the indictment, Cheikh was born in Sudan moved to Britain as a child.
After he became radicalized, he went to Syria in 2012 and joined ISIS.
Throughout his trial, four rows of Seats will be reserved for former The hostages and their relatives.
Diane Foley, mother of James Foley, Bethany Haines, and daughter of British hostage David Haines, intends to attend the trial.
“It’s been a long time,” Diane Foley told AFP. “Accountability is essential if we ever want to stop taking hostages,” Foley said.
Britain stripped Coty and Sheikh of Their citizenship is in the UK but holds up Transfer them to the United States until the latter assured London that death penalty It will not be searched for the two men.
