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A suspect from the British Islamic State (IS) group has pleaded guilty in a US court to several counts related to the murder of four US hostages.
Alexanda Kotey is accused of belonging to an IS cell dubbed “The Beatles” which has been implicated in kidnappings in Iraq and Syria.
The IS cell is believed to be responsible for the beheading of several Western and Japanese hostages.
Kotey, 37, has pleaded guilty to eight counts and now faces life in prison.
He attended a change of plea hearing in federal court in Alexandria, Va. On Thursday where he pleaded guilty to charges including hostage-taking resulting in death and conspiracy to kill. murder of American citizens.
“Kotey was given due process and, in the face of overwhelming evidence, made an independent decision to plead guilty to his crimes,” lawyer Raj Parekh, a member of the prosecutor’s team, told reporters at the court.
“He agreed to spend the rest of his life in prison,” he added.
Kotey and his partner “Beatle” El Shafee Elsheikh, 32, are on trial for their role in the murders of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller.
The two men are also suspected of being involved in the deaths of other hostages, including Alan Henning, a British taxi driver providing assistance, and Scottish MP David Haines, as well as two Japanese nationals.
The couple initially pleaded not guilty at a hearing in October.
The change in statement suggests Kotey can now cooperate with prosecutors. It is not yet clear whether Elsheikh has reached a plea deal with the authorities.
Clockwise from top left: Humanitarians Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig, and journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley
Both men were released from US detention in Iraq last year to face charges, carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Hailing from west London, the hostages gave their alleged ISIS gang the nickname The Beatles because of their British accent. They were stripped of their British nationality in 2018.
Some of the victims were beheaded and their deaths were filmed and broadcast on social media. The high-profile murders have sparked outrage around the world.
The alleged leader of the group, Mohammed Emwazi, known as “Jihadi John”, was killed in a drone strike in 2015.
Another gang member, Aine Davis, was arrested and jailed in Turkey.
Kotey and Elsheikh remained at large until captured in 2018 by Syrian Kurds fighting the Islamic State.
The United States government had wanted to bring them to justice, but had no evidence.
The men were in a legal limbo for several months, being held by the US military in Iraq, where the US attorney general threatened to hand them over to local courts, known for their summary justice and executions.
But the United States has said it will not apply the death penalty if the men are found guilty in a US court.
Since then, UK counterterrorism officials have shared crucial evidence with US officials.
Elsheikh is due to be tried in January.
Meanwhile, Kotey’s plea deal carries a minimum sentence of life in prison without parole. But after 15 years he would have the right to be transferred to the UK to face possible charges there.
His sentencing will take place in March of next year.
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