Facing Justice: Islamic State ‘recreational killers’ who were dubbed ‘the Beatles’ could face the death penalty after UK drops its opposition and will not seek assurances if the men are sent to the US, families of Americans murdered should be allowed to get justice for their loved ones, it seems the ‘holiday’ is over for Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh

Dear All

The death penalty was abolished in Great Britain in 1965; the last hanging took place in for murder took place in 1964. The Act to abolish the death penalty was introduced to Parliament as a private member's bill by Sydney Silverman MP. This was an important bill; it signalled that Britain had moved on.

I oppose the death penalty, but by the same token, I respect the fact that other countries must be allowed to have their own rule of law. One of the issues which I have talked about in the past was young Muslims who effectively went on murder holidays to join groups such as Isis. These people because they spoke English became online internet murderers who enjoyed murdering people by beheading victims.

One group of killers were called "The Beatles", dubbed as such by their hostages because of their English accents, Its members were nicknamed "John", "Paul", "George", and "Ringo" by their hostages. Jihadi John was probably the best well known of the murderers until he was killed. Justice caught up with Jihadi John when he was killed in a drone strike. His military service with his terror group lasted two years, in that time he murdered several people.

Here is his wiki,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihadi_John

Jihadi John wasn’t a soldier, just a recreational killer.

Two of the other members of the “Beatles” Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh have been captured, the US wants these two for extradition to the US, and they have been rightfully stripped of their British citizenship. They were captured in January this year, and then a row what to do with them has broken out.

The UK doesn’t want them returned to British soil, and if they go to the US, they will probably face the death penalty. Interestingly, the new Home Secretary Sajid Javid has been accused of abandoning Britain’s long-held opposition to the death penalty in negotiations with the US about the two terror suspects. The Home Sec has told US Attorney General Jeff Sessions that the UK will not demand a “death penalty assurance” as part of the extradition of Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh.

The UK “does not currently intend to request, nor actively encourage”, the transfer of Kotey and Elsheikh to Britain said the Home Sec.

He added:

“All assistance and material will be provided on the condition that it may only be used for the purpose sought in that request, namely a federal criminal investigation or prosecution. “Furthermore, I am of the view that there are strong reasons for not requiring a death penalty assurance in this specific case, so no such assurances will be sought.”

Amnesty International accused the UK government of abandoning its blanket opposition to the death penalty, describing Mr Javid’s letter as “a huge backward step”.

In a move that shows she is completely unfit to be Home Secretary, Labour MP Diane Abbott has called the decision not to seek assurances as ‘abhorrent and shameful’.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Sir Ed Davey said: “The use of the death penalty – no matter the crimes involved – is wrong. By refusing to stand up to Donald Trump’s administration on this issue, Sajid Javid has abdicated his responsibility to uphold fundamental human rights.”

To that I would say James Foley, Steven Sotloff, David Haines Peter Kassig and Alan Henning, all tortured, all beheaded and killed without mercy, their human rights violated.

In the past, the UK has always sought assurances from the Americans regarding no death penalty, however the request is simply that, a request, there is no legal duty for any Home Secretary to the request.

So, the question is should the Americans be denied justice for their citizens who were murdered?

The answer is no, in the UK we don’t have the death penalty, the same however cannot be said for the US.

A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said Theresa May supported the Home Secretary’s handling of the case. She also said that the PM hoped it would end with the two men remaining in prison for the rest of their lives.

She said:

“The Prime Minister was aware of these plans and supports the way that these are being handled.”

If you take the time to look at American prison videos, you will see that the supermax system isn’t a bed of roses, it is a very violent place full of predators. Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh might escape the death penalty but chances are they will become high profile targets of opportunity in prison. Instead of a quick clean death via lethal injection, they may get a dose of their own medicine repeatedly in prison.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University