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A former British citizen, a member of Islamic State, was convicted in US (Virginia) on Thursday. El Shafee Elsheikh, the convict, was member of Islamic State terrorist cell nicknamed “The Beatles” for his or her British accents. He took half within the notorious Islamic State hostage-taking plot that led to the beheading of American journalists and help staff.
ElSheikh’s trial went on for six-week and the jury took 4 hours to deliberate earlier than declaring him responsible. The trial noticed testimonies from some former hostages who had been launched by the “Beatles” after lengthy negotiations. They spoke concerning the torture they endured. Relations of the deceased victims additionally testified.
Elsheikh was born in Sudan and raised in London. His British citizenship was withdrawn in 2018. He was accused of killing 4 American hostages: James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller.
Foley and Sotloff had been journalists whereas Kassig was an help employee. These males had been killed in videotaped beheadings. The US officers have stated that Kayla Mueller was raped repeatedly by Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. She died in Syria.
One other of the cell’s members, Alexanda Kotey, was held in Iraq by the US army earlier than being flown to the US to face trial. Kotey pleaded responsible final September to the murders of Foley, Sotloff, Mueller and Kassig.
Throughout opening arguments within the U.S. trial, Elsheikh’s lawyer Ed MacMahon known as him a “easy ISIS fighter” and tried to solid doubt on whether or not he was one of many “Beatles.” The captors wore masks and had comparable accents, making it tough for hostages to determine them, he stated.
(With inputs from businesses)
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