United States: Alexanda Kotey, one of the "Beatles" of the Islamic State group, sentenced to life
Alexanda Kotey, jihadist of the Islamic State group, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a federal court in the United States, Friday April 29, 2022. REUTERS - HANDOUT
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This 38-year-old former British national had admitted his responsibility in the death of four American hostages in Syria and, more broadly, in the kidnapping and torture of around twenty Westerners.
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He was one of the cruel
"Beatles" of the Islamic State
(IS) group, jihadists specializing in the capture, torture and execution of Western hostages.
Alexanda Kotey was sentenced to life imprisonment by a federal court in the United States.
Another member of the cell, El Shafee el-Sheikh, arrested with him by Syrian Kurdish forces in 2018, was
found guilty in April
by a popular jury, following a harrowing trial that exposed their sadism to the big day.
His sentence will be handed down on August 12.
The two men, for whom the death penalty was excluded due to an agreement with London, were present on Friday April 29 in the court in Alexandria, near Washington, where the relatives of their victims were able to speak directly to them.
“
You have kidnapped, tortured and participated in the murders of good and innocent people, and you will now have to live with that all your life
”, notably launched the Briton Bethany Haines.
"
You both lost!"
added the young woman whose father, David Haines, an aid worker, was beheaded by the third member of the “Beatles”,
Mohammed Emwazi, killed by a drone attack in 2015
.
"
Horror movie
"
The three jihadists, who grew up and became radicalized in London, had been nicknamed the “Beatles” by their hostages because of their British accent.
Active in Syria from 2012 to 2015, they oversaw the detention of at least 27 journalists and aid workers from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark , Sweden, Belgium, Japan, New Zealand and Russia.
A dozen were executed and their deaths were staged in IS propaganda videos that shocked the world.
Among their victims was the American journalist
Steven Sotloff, murdered in 2014
.
On Friday, her mother Shirley repeatedly urged the two jihadists to "
look her in (the) eyes
", as she described
the "unimaginable impact
" of their actions on her family.
"
Steven's death was like a horror movie broadcast live around the world (...).
For our family, it does not take place on a screen but in our heads, every day
”, she explained to them, hoping that they “
think about it every day for the rest of their lives
”.
"
Need Truth
"
Marsha Mueller,
whose daughter Kayla died in confused circumstances
after being the sex slave of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, wished they would help her understand what happened to her daughter:
We learned certain things, stories of rapes, beatings, terror and horror.
But I want to know the whole truth, even if it's hard to hear (...) I need to experience these horrors with her.
»
Alexanda Kotey did not speak or show any emotion as Judge TS Ellis handed down her sentence.
His lawyers, however, assured that he was remorseful and agreed to meet the families of his victims.
The judge allowed him to remain in custody in Alexandria until July, to give the authorities and his lawyers time to negotiate the prison where he will serve his sentence.
He recalled that, as part of the plea agreement, the prosecutors had undertaken to facilitate his transfer to the United Kingdom within fifteen years.
Alexanda Kotey right, one of the Islamic State (IS) group of kidnappers dubbed the 'Beatles', with El Shafee el Sheikh (left), on February 10, 2018 when they were captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces .
AFP - HANDOUT
(
With
AFP)
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