A convicted member of the Islamic State allegedly linked to the famous kidnapping and murder cell of the “beatles” appeared before a British court ahead of the scheduled start of his terrorism trial on Monday.
aine davis he sat in the dock at London’s Old Bailey Criminal Court, wearing a black beanie and blue sweatshirt, speaking only to confirm his name.
He was named a co-conspirator in the US trials of El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Amon Koteytwo members of the infamous kidnapping group who grew up and became radicalized in London.
The members of the group were nicknamed the “beatles” by their captives due to their characteristic British accents.
active in Syria Between 2012 and 2015, the group was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of more than two dozen journalists and aid workers from the United States and other countries.
The hostages, some of whom were released after ransoms were paid by their governments, came from at least 15 countries, including Denmark, Spain, USA, France, Japan and Norway.
Davis, in his 30s, denies being a member of the group.
He faces two charges related to supplying money with terrorist purposes and another for possession of a firearm for purposes related to terrorism.
The hearing of his case began on Monday, but hours of arguments were expected before the trial could formally begin.
Trials in the United States
Davis was arrested in Turkey in 2015 and sentenced in 2017 to seven and a half years for belonging to the IS.
The group He tortured and killed his victims, even decapitating them.and broadcast videos of the murders.
Davis was released in July of last year and expelled from Turkey the following month. He was re-arrested when he arrived at the British Luton airport.
In 2014, his wife Amal El-Wahabi he became the first person convicted in Britain of financing IS jihadists after trying to send 20,000 euros – worth $25,000 at the time – to Syria.
She was jailed for more than 28 months after a trial in which Davis was described as a drug dealer before leaving for Syria to fight with IS.
Two of the “Beatles” El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Amon Koteyhave been sentenced to life in prison in the United States.
elsheikha British national, was convicted last year of killing four American hostages in Syria.
The trial in the United States featured emotional testimonies from former hostages and was the most important prosecution of a militant of the IE in that country.
Ten former European and Syrian hostages testified at the trial of elsheikhaccusing the “Beatles” of months of brutal treatment, including beatings, electric shocks, waterboarding and mock executions.
elsheikh and kotey they were captured by a Kurdish militia in Syria in January 2018 and handed over to US forces in Iraq.
They were flown to the United States in 2020 to stand trial. Kotey pleaded guilty in September 2021.
Another member of the group, the executioner Mohammed Emwaziwas shot down by a US drone in Syria in November 2015.
(With information from AFP)
Keep reading:
Court refused to restore British citizenship to a woman who joined the Islamic State in 2015
Source-www.infobae.com