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ISIS ‘Beatle’ Convicted in Hostage-Taking Scheme
A federal jury in Virginia has convicted El Shafee Elsheikh, a militant fighter for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), on all eight charges related to his participation in a brutal hostage-taking scheme that resulted in the deaths of four American citizens, as well as the deaths of British and Japanese nationals, in Syria.
According to evidence presented during trial, Elsheikh, 33, served as a high-ranking ISIS fighter and was an integral member of a wide-ranging conspiracy involving the captivity of 26 hostages in Syria. He personally participated in the detention of and hostage negotiations for four American citizens – James Wright Foley, Kayla Jean Mueller, Steven Joel Sotloff, and Peter Edward Kassig – each of whom died as hostages in ISIS custody.
Elsheikh was part of a group of ISIS members who spoke with British accents and were referred to by the hostages as the “Beatles.” He and his convicted co-conspirator, Alexanda Amon Kotey, 38, were captured together in January 2018 by the Syrian Democratic Forces as they attempted to escape Syria for Turkey.
The charges against Elsheikh include one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death; four counts of hostage taking resulting in the deaths of the four Americans; one count of conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens outside of the United States; and one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to terrorists resulting in the death of a U.S. citizen.
Elsheikh was convicted on all eight charges. His conviction comes after a trial that featured the testimony of 35 witnesses.
On September 2, 2021, Kotey pleaded guilty to all of the offenses charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
This conviction is a significant result in the ongoing efforts to hold accountable those responsible for the brutal treatment and murder of hostages during the height of ISIS’s power in Syria.
Elsheikh faces a lengthy prison sentence for his crimes. His exact sentence has yet to be determined.
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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