(Bloomberg) -- Two Islamic State militants linked to the beheadings of American and British hostages are in FBI custody and will appear later Wednesday in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, for prosecution, the Justice Department said.
The U.S. alleges that El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, who have been in American military custody at an undisclosed location, were members of the Islamic State of Iraq and part of a terrorist cell known as “the Beatles” that kidnapped and murdered journalists and aid workers from the U.S. and U.K. Now stateless, their nickname reflects their past British citizenship and distinctive British accents on graphic videos of their killings.
“The entire United States government remains committed to bringing to justice anyone who harms our citizens,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said Wednesday at a news conference in Washington.
“Today, we're demonstrating that resolve by bringing to our shores two men who left Britain to become ISIS terrorists,” Wray said. “Now they will face justice in an American court of law for their crimes against American citizens.”
According to a Justice Department indictment, the two operatives are alleged to have been part of a conspiracy to kidnap and murder U.S. journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, as well as humanitarian aid workers Kayla Jean Mueller and Peter Kassig.
The U.S. secured evidence from the U.K. for their prosecution after Attorney General William Barr agreed he wouldn't seek the death penalty for them.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, the Justice Department said.
Earlier: Barr Says Islamic State Suspects Won't Face Death Penalty
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