The two remaining British members of an
ISIS gang known as ‘The Beatles’ have said they are sorry for the beheading of
an aid worker in 2014. It comes as El Shafee Elsheikh, 31, nicknamed Jihadi
George, and Alexanda Kotey, 35, known as Jihadi Ringo, await a trial in the US
which could end with the death penalty. When asked where the body of David
Haines was left and to apologise for his murder, Elsheikh told ITV he does not
know where in Syria he was executed. He and Kotey gave an interviews while they
were being held by Kurdish forces in Syria, a week before they were taken into
custody by America as they abruptly withdrew their troops. Elsheikh did confess
to having ‘an interaction’ with Haines by helping to move him and other
prisoners into a van.
He said: ‘I have no problem apologising for
that’, but denied responsibility for the imprisonment or capture of Haines, who
was working at a refugee camp in 2013. In another interview Kotey also
apologised, despite refusing to say anything at first and claiming he already
said sorry in unbroadcast footage. Referring to Haine’s daughter Bethany, he
said: ‘I regret, and I’m sad for her that that was the fate of her father.
‘That’s not something that I would have wished for. ‘It’s not something that
I’m in agreement with and if there is anything that I have done which may have
caused some kind of distress to her or her father while he was in detention
then I apologise for that.’
Haines’ wife, Dragana, told MailOnline: ‘I
can’t possibly have an opinion until the right and proper thing is done: That
his remains are brought home to his family. ‘His wife and daughter have
unending lack of closure or focus and a need to respect his final resting place
here. ‘I’m sure anyone would understand that need.’ Bethany Haines said it was
‘okay’ if the pair continued to deny wrongdoing but said she is ‘not letting
this go’ and will continue fighting to find out the truth. Mohammed Emwazi,
nicknamed Jihadi John, was killed in a drone strike in 2015, while Aine David,
known as Jihadi Paul, was sentenced to seven years in prison in Turkey. The
death squad’s nickname was coined over its members British accents. Elsheikh
and Kotey were taken from their prison in northern Syria not long after the
interview, as thousands of Turkish troops launched a military offensive.
The pair, who have been stripped of their
British citizenship, were reportedly taken to a US Air Force base in Iraq so
they could not take advantage of the chaos and escape. US forces have been
securing ‘high-value detainees’ and were expected to hand over 50 ISIS
militants last night to authorities in Iraq, where many could face trials as
short as 10 minutes before being hanged. But Kotey, from London, and Elsheikh,
from Sudan, who are accused of involvement in 20 beheading, are expected to be
transferred to Virginia where major terror trials are held. Among their other
alleged victims are British aid worker Alan Henning and American journalists
James Foley and Steven Sotloff. But Elsheikh’s mother has challenged the
British Government’s decision to revoke the pair of their citizenship and to
not prosecute them in the UK. Maha Elgizouli, who also demanded the Government
stop sharing evidence with US prosecutors until guarantees are given they wont
be executed.
The Crown Prosecution Service says there is
‘insufficient evidence’ to prosecute them in the UK. A decision is expected
within weeks and could thwart the extradition to America if judges rule in Ms
Elgizouli’s favour. Trump and other US officials have tried to persuade the UK
and other European countries to take back their citizens accused of joining
ISIS. Asked about danger of members of the death cult making a run for it as
Turkey attacks, he said: ‘Well they are going to be escaping to Europe, that’s
where they want to go. ‘They could have had trials, they could have done
whatever they wanted, but as usual, it’s not reciprocal.’
“BERSAMA
MENENTANG EKSTREMIS”
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