According to the brave daughter of an American aid worker who was killed in the “Islamic State Beatles”, she said she felt nothing but disgust when she met one of the men charged with conspiring against her father’s murder.
Bethany Haines (whose father David was killed and taken hostage in Syria) told ITV News how she confronted the terrorist suspect in Virginia.
While you are attending the court hearing Bethany recalls El Shafee Elsheikh’s chilling stare ‘right into mine eyes’.
According to The ISIS Beatles: Blood On Their Hands documentary, she stated that “He was masked.” It was difficult to discern his facial expression.
“He stared straight into mine and I looked back. He is not going to intimidate me. He won’t intimidate me.
“You know, you have nothing to shame about. He is the one that should be embarrassed or intimidated.
Bethany Haines (pictured), who was present at El Shafee Elsheikh’s court hearing, recalls how the accused stared “right into my eyes” as he sat in a chilling gaze while she attended.
Kayla Mueller, James Foley, and David Haines had all traveled to Syria prior to being captured by the terrorist group. They were also known as Islamic State Beatles due their British accents. (Pictured, David’s little girl Bethany).
Bethany Haines spoke to ITV News previously and after she met the alleged ISIS Beatle who is accused of murdering her father in Syria. (Bethany with father David).
Elsheikh faces charges of having been involved in the killing of several hostages, both British and American, in Syria in 2014 and 2015.
Bethany stated that the face-toface meeting with Elsheikh was all about Bethany’standing up’ for her dad and representing him, and giving him the voice he does not have.
“I thought that I would get really mad and have trouble keeping my cool, but instead I felt disgust.”
These hearings were held ahead of the January 2013 trial. They brought together three families.
Haines was joined in court by Marsha Mueller (USA) and Diane Foley (USA).
These are relatives of Kayla and James Foley, who had traveled to Syria together with David, before being captured by the terrorist group. They were known as The Islamic State Beatles due to their British accents.
El Shafee Elsheikh is alleged to have been one of the four British jihadis responsible for forming a vicious Islamic State cell that was nicknamed ‘The Beatles’ in an interview at a Kobani security center.
Although the ordeal had unified the families for almost ten years, it was their first meeting in person.
In September, Alexanda Kotey pleaded guilty to multiple charges relating to the kidnapping, torture and murders of four Americans – including James Foley and Kayla Mueller.
Kotey agreed as part of his plea bargain to visit each victim’s families. In return, he would be permitted to go back to the UK for the remainder of his sentence after serving 15 years.
Elsheikh will not be included in the trial as he maintains innocence.
Bethany Haines, who was 17 years old when David her father was killed, has traveled to Syria since then to find out about his last days and be able to forgive him.
ITV News took Bethany (pictured) on a trip to the United States, in which she witnessed for the first-time the man suspected of holding her father hostage.
Bethany (pictured), on her way to the hearing said that it was about “representing her father”
Her insistent desire to travel to America to see the man accused of conspiring to kill her father was a strong indication.
Bethany managed to look Elsheikh, her father’s suspected killer, in the eyes last week. At that point, she stated that she believed he was “scum”.
Bethany shared her thoughts about the effect being in court could have on her. “Even hearing his name in court,” she said.
Bethany Haines stated that she would not be intimidated by Elsheikh
This documentary by ITV News follows Bethany’s journey to the same courtroom as a London man accused of being ISIS executioner.