The US has got hold of two notorious members of the Islamic State's hostage taking cell, and will put them through a trial. The British terror operatives brought to the US are Alexanda Amon Kotey, 36, and El Shafee Elsheikh, 32.
The two, who had failed in their bid to escape to Turkey from Iraq, were captured by the US-allied Kurdish forces. They were held in custody by the US forces in Iraq as Washington and London settled a dispute over their custody.
The two Isis terrorists as crucial links to the several incidents of hostage taking and public beheadings that happened throughout the early years of the Syrian war and the rise of the Islamic Caliphate Under Abu Bakr al-Baghdadii.
"These charges are the product of many years of hard work in pursuit of justice for our citizens slain by ISIS ... Although we cannot bring them back, we can and will seek justice for them, their families, and for all Americans," Attorney General William Barr said in a statement, according to the VOA.
Dreaded 'Beatles Behind Gruesome Beheadings
However, in a travesty of justice, it turns out that Kotey and Elsheikh will not face the maximum punishment in the US if found guilty. The UK agreed to their repatriation to the US after Washington agreed that the prosecutors will not seek death penalty for them.
Yet, the families of the US victims of the Isis hostage taking group known as The Beatles said they welcomed the development. "Now our families can pursue accountability for these crimes against our children in a U.S. court," the families said in a statement.
The American victims of the dreaded Isis terror were journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller -- all who were beheaded by the Caliphate terrorists.
The Beatles were led by Briton Mohammed Emwazi, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Syria in November 2015. Emwazi, known as 'Jihadi John', appeared in several chilling beheading videos. Another memebr of the deraneged terro group was arrested and convicted of terrorism charges in Turkey.
"Today, we remember the victims, Jim Foley, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig, and Kayla Mueller, and their families who are forever affected by these senseless acts of violence ... These families have suffered with the painful loss of their loved ones at the hands of brutal killers; today's charges demonstrate the FBI's dedication and commitment to giving them the justice they deserve," FBI Director Christopher Wray said.
