According to the daughter of an American aid worker who was killed in the “Islamic State Beatles”, she experienced “nothing but dismay” when confronted with the man accused of plotting her father’s murder.
Bethany Haines was 24, the daughter of David Haines who was held hostage in Syria and later killed there in 2014. She told ITV News about her encounter with David in Virginia.
While you are attending the court hearing El Shafee Elsheikh will be facing trial January 2019. His mother, a young woman, recalled that he looked ‘right into’ her eyes and shook his head.
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 what? I have nothing to be ashamed 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 Müller, James Foley, David Haines and James Foley had all been to Syria just before being taken hostage by the terror group. The terrorist group is also known for its British accents, which are why they’re called the Islamic State Beatles.
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 has been accused of involvement in the assassination of hostages from Britain and America in Syria, between 2014-2015.
Bethany explained that Bethany was defending her father and standing up to him in face-to-face meetings with Elsheikh meant Bethany could’represent my dad’,’stand for’ his rights and give 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.”
Three families were present at the hearings ahead of an upcoming trial scheduled for January 2019.
Bethany read an impact statement that she was going to give to Elsheikh via her laptop. She stated that her whole life had been turned upside-down by the murder of her father and that she wakes up every day thinking about him.
She also said that the prophet Muhammad stated the person who would be the most evil before Allah was the one who kills those who do not oppose him.
It was about religion.
“The best thing that you can do for the victims is to share the location of their loved ones’ remains.
“Don’t do this for me. Do it for my son. He can say good-bye to grandad.”
Haines was joined in court by Marsha Mueller (USA) and Diane Foley (USA).
They are Kayla Müller and James Foley’s relatives. Kayla had previously travelled to Syria along with David. Before they were captured by the terror group known as Islamic State Beatles for their British accents, the family was also taken into custody.
Alexanda Amon Koley and El Shafee Elsheikh are alleged to have been among the four British terrorists who formed an Islamic State group referred to as ‘The Beatles. Pictured at a Kobani Security Center, Syria.
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, who maintains his innocence, will be the only person being tried.
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 all about “representing her dad”.
Her insistent desire to travel to America to see the man accused of conspiring to kill her father was a strong indication.
Bethany finally managed to see her father’s killer Elsheikh through the eye 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 claimed she wouldn’t feel 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.
Jihadi John, a ringleader for ISIS, was one of the ISIS Beatles. He shared videos online that were beheading and also killed British aid workers.
Jihadi John
Mohammed Emwazi – Jihadi John
Emwazi, one of the most well-known members of so-called ISIS Beatles was frequently seen performing executions in the horrific videos.
He took part in the barbaric beheadings of British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning and US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and US humanitarian worker Peter Kassig.
The terrorist, who was born in Kuwait and grew up in Queen’s Park, West London, was charged with 27 counts of murder and five counts of hostage taking in November 2014.
In 2015, he was struck by a Hellfire missile in Syria and killed.
Jihadi Paul
Aine Lesley Davis – Paul
Davis was born Aine Leslie Junior Davis on March 8, 1984, to Fay Rodriquez. It is thought that Davis spent his early childhood years in Hammersmith with his mother.
He was among 13 children that his father gave to four women.
Former tube driver who was convicted of drug-dealing, firearms and other charges, converted to Islam in prison.
In 2014 his wife, Amal el-Wahabi, was convicted of funding terrorism after she persuaded a friend to try and smuggle £16,000 in cash in her underwear to him.
Turkish security officers captured Davis in 2015. He was then found guilty by a jury of senior members of a terrorist group and sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
Alexanda Kotey
Alexanda Kotey – Ringo
Kotey was 36 years old when he was born to a Ghanaian dad and a Greek Cypriot mom. He grew-up in Shepherd’s Bush (London).
He is believed to have been a drug dealer prior to his conversion to Islam.
In 2012, he left for Syria where the US claims he was involved in beheadings and known for administering ‘exceptionally cruel torture methods’, including electronic shocks.
Additionally, he was accused of recruiting ISIS terrorists from Britain.
Kotey was captured by the Syrian government while trying to flee Turkey in 2018. He was then held in an American military facility in Iraq.
British officials wanted him to be tried in the USA, because there’s a better chance of being prosecuted in these countries than the UK.
He was arrested for a variety of terrorist offences and extradited to the United States.
El Shafee Elsheikh
El Shafee Elsheikh — George
Elsheikh was born in Sudan and grew up West London. He is one of four terrorists from Britain who fled to ISIS.
His involvement in the murders of many hostages has been implicated after he fled Syria for the extremist group.
Kotey was also captured in Turkey as they fled to Turkey in 2018, and since then he has been transferred to the US, where he faces charges for terrorism and beheading Western hostages.