(Washington Post) The only trial in U.S. court for a member of an infamous terrorist cell is set to begin Tuesday, as El Shafee Elsheikh stands accused of taking part in the capture and murder of journalists and aid workers by the Islamic State.
Elsheikh, 33, was one of four ISIS militants who traveled to Syria from London and whose British accents led prisoners of the terrorist group to label them the “Beatles.” Some of those prisoners were released in exchange for ransom money from foreign governments. When countries would not pay, their hostages were slain — some beheaded on videos that were broadcast around the world.
He is in federal court in Alexandria because of the deaths of four Americans who were reporting on or supporting victims of the Syrian civil war — journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. Prosecutors say he is also implicated in the deaths of British, Japanese and Norwegian captives.
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