A TERRORIST who was part of an IS beheading gang dubbed The Beatles wants to return to the UK — sparking fury from a Brit victim’s daughter.
El Shafee Elsheikh — known as Jihadi Ringo — has applied to transfer from a high-security US jail to a prison in his “home country” Britain.
AFPEl Shafee Elsheikh — known as Jihadi Ringo — has applied to transfer from a high-security US jail to a prison in his ‘home country’ Britain[/caption]
CollectElsheikh’s gang videoed the killings of hostages, including aid worker David Haines[/caption]
Free for editorial useWorried families fear he could move to somewhere like London’s Belmarsh, where lags have access to TVs, games consoles, gyms, workshops and mosques and can mix with other extremists[/caption]
His gang videoed the killings of hostages, including aid worker David Haines, whose daughter Bethany called the swap bid an “outrageous insult”.
Bethany added: “The idea someone this evil could be back in a British prison makes my skin crawl.”
He was born in Sudan and grew up in London, but had his British citizenship revoked in 2018.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “We stripped him of his citizenship precisely so he never steps foot on British soil again.
“If he wants to go home, he can go to Sudan.”
And Bethany added: “I urge both authorities in the US and UK to see sense and make sure he stays where he is so we can continue to attempt to rebuild our lives.”
Elsheikh, 37, is serving life after being convicted in 2022 of terror charges, including hostage-taking and conspiring to murder.
He was tried by a Federal jury in Virginia and handed eight life sentences after being captured by Syrian Democratic forces with fellow “Beatle” Alexanda Kotey in 2018.
Kotey — known as Jihadi George — also lost his British citizenship.
The gang was given its nickname by hostages because of members’ distinctive British accents.
Its victims also included Americans James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller.
Elsheikh has applied to be switched from his Colorado prison to a UK jail under the International Prisoner Transfer Program.
Worried families fear he could move to somewhere like London’s Belmarsh, where lags have access to TVs, games consoles, gyms, workshops and mosques and can mix with other extremists.
And they are concerned US President Donald Trump’s hardline government — which has deported tens of thousands of foreign criminals — could hold the upper hand in any negotiations for the move.
In January, Mr Trump’s Deputy Assistant Sebastian Gorka called on the UK to honour a “commitment” to take back IS Brits.
Elsheikh is understood to have applied so he can be closer to his family and friends.
A US notice sent to victims’ relatives, seen by The Sun, says: “This is to inform you that El Shafee Elsheikh has applied to transfer to the UK, the country of which the inmate is a national.
“The United States has prisoner transfer relationships with many countries.
“These treaties permit foreign nationals to apply to transfer and serve their sentence in their home country. Before making a decision, the US collects information about the prisoner, the views of law enforcement and any views provided by victims.”
Life inside Supermax
VILE El Shafee Elsheikh spends 23 hours a day in solitary confinement in his Supermax jail cell, built from reinforced concrete.
Each 87sq ft cell has a solid door with a small slit for a window.
The prison, known as ADX and dubbed “the Alcatraz of the Rockies”, is designed to be escape-proof.
It was described by Norman Carlson, a former director of prisons, as having “absolutely no concern for human life”.
The jail holds up to 500 prisoners in eight units.
Current inmates include hook-handed terrorist Abu Hamza, British Al-Qaeda would-be “shoe-bomber” Richard Reid and Simon Trinidad, a member of Colombian guerilla group Farc.
Prisoners are offered extremely limited rehab, recreation and education programmes — and experts have said the jail is designed to make them “docile or mad”.
Inmates at London’s Belmarsh Prison — Elsheikh’s most likely destination if his transfer bid succeeds — are on “basic”, “standard” or “enhanced” regimes.
Those on basic get £5.50 to spend in the canteen on treats and have limited freedoms, including phone calls, religious visits and time out of their cell.
If they behave, they can go up to standard and win perks like Freeview TVs, games consoles and gym and workshop visits — plus more time out of their cell.
Those on enhanced regimes get an even more relaxed regime and access to sought-after jobs such as being a cleaner or librarian.
Bethany, whose dad was tortured and starved before his public execution, said of Elsheikh: “He left this country to bring terror to the world and inflicted the most appalling treatment on my father and others when he held him captive.
“He is one of the worst terrorists to come from this country and it’s an outrageous insult to our families for him to apply to return to one of our prisons for an easier life.
“I beg the UK government to act to make sure he never sets foot on these shores again.”
But she added: “I fear Sir Keir Starmer is very much in Donald Trump’s pocket.
“My fear is it is likely someone as dangerous as Elsheikh could be allowed back.
“Under previous governments, you would say, ‘Oh, that would never happen’. But the harsh reality is that Elsheikh and others like him could be back in our prisons soon. I felt content when he was rotting in his cell hundreds and hundreds of miles away. But a move to the UK would change that.
“As well as better conditions here, my biggest fear is he one day walks free and would be allowed to live within hours of the same place I live. It’s a horrible thought.”
“I urge both authorities in the US and UK to see sense and make sure he stays where he is so we can continue to attempt to rebuild our lives.”
Bethany and other relatives were given 30 days to make submissions to the US Department for Justice, which sent out its notice earlier this month.
AP:Associated PressThe vile terrorist has applied to be transferred from a tough Supermax prison in the US[/caption]
Peter AllenDavid’s daughter Bethany called the swap bid an ‘outrageous insult’[/caption]
In her response, she outlined her concerns that Elsheikh would receive cushy treatment in the UK.
She said: “El Shafee Elsheikh was a member of this terrorist cell and spent 18 months waterboarding, starving, beating and torturing my dad and other Western hostages.
“A member of the same terrorist cell beheaded him on camera for the world and me to see.”
She branded Elsheikh a “sociopath and narcissist” and said he had “no real interest” in returning to be closer to family.
In her response, Bethany added: “He is manipulating the system to receive better conditions in prison and to cause further pain to the victims’ families.
“A high-security prison in the UK compared to a high-security prison in the US largely differ.
“Prisoners at HMP Belmarsh have work opportunities, learning opportunities, recreational activities, access to TVs and even have access to video game consoles.
SUPPLIEDDavid pictured with Bethany[/caption]
PA:Press AssociationOthers to die at their hands included Brit Alan Henning, a former taxi driver turned aid worker[/caption]
“In addition, those who share the same views as Elsheikh highly praise him for his crimes and he would be treated as a ‘celebrity’ by some prisoners.
“He would pose a risk through his radicalisation of other prisoners.”
David, of Perth, Scotland, was abducted while working at a refugee camp in Syria in 2013 and held hostage by Elsheikh, Kotey, Mohammed Emwazi and Aine Davis.
In 2014, a video of him kneeling next to knife-wielding Emwazi — dubbed Jihadi John — horrified the world.
It ended with his beheading.
Others to die at their hands included Brit Alan Henning, a former taxi driver turned aid worker from Eccles, Gtr Manchester.
The Ministry of Justice said: “We have not received any application from the US, but we have the right to refuse any request.”
It added any prisoners who are transferred will serve the rest of their sentence here
WHAT HAPPENED TO ‘THE BEATLES’?
ALL four members of the savage ‘Beatles’ terror cell were killed or jailed after their atrocities sent shockwaves around the world . . .
MOHAMMED EMWAZI — ‘JIHADI JOHN’
THE most notorious member, Emwazi was 27 when he was wiped out by a US-UK drone strike on the IS stronghold of Raqqa, Syria, in November 2015.
The fiend, who previously lived in Maida Vale and Queen’s Park in London, appeared as the masked executioner in gruesome videos showing the beheadings of western hostages including Brit David Haines.
AINE DAVIS — ‘JIHADI PAUL’
ARRESTED in Turkey on the same day Emwazi was killed, he denied being part of the ‘Beatles’ gang but was convicted of being in a terrorist organisation.
Davis, now 41, of Hammersmith, West London, was deported to the UK in 2022.
He admitted terrorism charges including possessing a firearm and was sentenced to eight years in November 2023. He’s still behind bars.
ALEXANDA KOTEY — ‘JIHADI GEORGE’
SEIZED by US-backed Kurdish forces in 2018 alongside Elsheikh.
Kotey, 41, of Westminster, central London, admitted being part of the hostage cell and carrying out torture and mock executions.
After capture, he was transferred to the US and given eight life sentences with no parole in August 2022.
He is at the same supermax prison as Elsheikh.
EL SHAFEE ELSHEIKH — ‘JIHADI RINGO’
ELSHEIKH was seized with Kotey and later moved to the United States.
He was a cental member of the murderous gang, and hostages identified him as the most brutal guard.
Now 34, he was sentenced to eight concurrent life sentences in August 2022 with no parole.
At trial, the judge called him “barbaric”.
He has now applied to be transferred to a UK jail.
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