El Shafee Elsheikh

El Shafee Elsheikh (born 16 July 1988), known as Jihadi George,[1] is a Sudanese-born British captive of the Syrian Democratic Forces, who said he was fleeing from the collapse of Daesh, the short-lived "Islamic State".[2][3][4] He has been designated a terrorist by the United States and identified in the press as one of the four Jihadi Beatles who took part in Daesh atrocities.[5][6] Elsheikh has denied being a member of "the Beatles" but admits joining the Daesh terrorist group.[7]

El Shafee Elsheikh
Born (1988-07-16) 16 July 1988
Sudan
NationalitySudanese
Known foralleged to have played a role in Daesh atrocities

Early life

Born in Sudan,[8] Elsheikh spent his youth in London, England.[3] The Daily Telegraph reports he was a follower of a local football team, Queen's Park Rangers, and dreamed of joining the team when he grew up.[9]

Allegations of ties to terrorism

In 2014 and 2015, Daesh held dozens of European and North American captives, and the brutal conditions of their detention was widely reported.[2][3] Four English-speaking Daesh fighters played a central role in the brutality. Their identities were initially either not known or security officials did not make their identities known to the public, so the press dubbed the four as The Beatles, with Mohammed Emwazi, the most well-known being known of the group, having been dubbed Jihadi John. Later, Elsheikh was reported to have been one of the other three Beatles.

On March 30, 2017, Elsheikh and four other men were named as suspected terrorists, by the US State Department, under Executive Order 13224.[10] This Executive Order signed by President George W. Bush, shortly after al Qaeda's attacks on September 11, 2001, allowed the State Department to bar US citizens, US financial institutions, and other US corporations, from having any financial transactions with designated individuals.

Syrian Democratic Forces captured Elsheikh, and his friend Alexanda Kotey, on January 24, 2018.[2][3][4] The pair were reported to have been trying to blend in with genuine civilian refugees, fleeing the collapse of the last Daesh enclaves.

Future detention and possible venue for prosecution

The Independent reported that the United Kingdom government was considering agreeing that Kotey and Elsheikh could be transferred to the Guantanamo detention camps.[2]

Detention in Guantanamo could be indefinite detention, without charge, if transferred to US custody, for a civilian trial, they would likely be detained at the Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, if they were convicted.[2] The Independent described how bleak conditions would be at the Florence Supermax, confinement to a featureless cell, for 23 hours a day, practically no human contact, exercise periods in a small featureless courtyard, near their cell.

Another option under consideration is trial at the International Court in the Hague.[2] According to The Independent, the UK government would first strip Kotey and Elsheikh of UK citizenship, prior to agreeing to transfer to the Hague.

The Guardian quoted Tobias Ellwood, the UK Minister of Defence, who argued that transfer to Guantanamo was inappropriate.[11]

In a face-to-face interview with Jenan Moussa of Al Aan TV in Kobani, Syria, at the beginning of April 2018 Elsheikh said he was interviewed by US and Syrian Democratic Forces officials, but not by UK officials.[12]

References
  1. Loyd, Anthony (20 June 2018). "A close encounter with British Isis jihadis". New Statesman. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  2. Rob Merrick (2018-02-11). "Britain 'may not challenge' Donald Trump if he decides to send jihadi 'Beatles' to Guantanamo, Justice Secretary says: Britain has yet to make any representations to Washington because it must first 'consider our options, David Gauke says". The Independent. Retrieved 2018-02-11. But he refused to say the Government would intervene if the US President opted to send the pair to the notorious detention centre in Cuba for suspected terrorists.
  3. Rohit Kachroo (2018-02-09). "Alexanda Kotey image: ITV News obtains exclusive first photo of IS 'Beatle' in detention". ITV. Retrieved 2018-02-11. The bearded Kotey is seen in a tatty grey t-shirt after being captured in Syria in January, trying to smuggle himself into Turkey.
  4. Lolita C. Baldur (2018-02-11). "US wants foreign fighters in Syria to face justice at home". National Post. Rome. Retrieved 2018-02-11. U.S. officials have interrogated the men, who were part of the IS cell that captured, tortured and beheaded more than two dozen hostages, including American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and American aid worker Peter Kassig.
  5. "Another Islamic State jailer who held Western hostages identified as Londoner". Washington Post. 7 February 2008.
  6. "ISIS Accomplice Of "Jihadi John" Named As "Quiet And Humble" Londoner". BuzzFeed News. 8 February 2008.
  8. Dearden, Lizzie (31 March 2018) "Isis 'Beatles' militants captured in Syria accuse government of breaking law by removing British citizenship", The Independent
  9. Martin Evans, Josie Ensor, Steve Bird, Patrick Sawer (2018-02-09). "Revealed: How two London schoolboys became the world's most wanted murderers". The Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 2018-02-11. Growing up in west London in the 1990s, Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh had many things in common, not least their passion for Queens Park Rangers - the local football team.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. "State Department Terrorist Designations of El Shafee Elsheikh, Anjem Choudary, Sami Bouras, Shane Dominic Crawford, and Mark John Taylor". U.S. Department of State. 30 March 2017. Archived from the original on 31 March 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  11. Ian Cobain, Vikram Dodd (2018-02-09). "Put 'Beatles' Isis fighters on trial, victims' families say: Families express relief and call for Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh to be put on trial". The Guardian. Retrieved 2018-02-11. Relatives of the victims of an Islamic State torture and murder cell known as “the Beatles” have expressed relief that the two remaining members have been captured and said they wanted to see them stand trial.
  12. "أول مقابلة تلفزيونية مع أخطر مقاتل بريطاني في صفوف داعش - Jenan Mousa Pays British ISIL Beatle member a Visit in Custody". Akhbar Al Aan. Al Aan TV. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
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