"ISIS Beatle" El Shafee Elsheikh sentenced to life in prison

El Shafee Elsheikh, an Islamic State group militant has been sentenced to life in prison in the US, for his involvement with the terror cell nicknamed "The Beatles".

In April, he was convicted of hostage-taking, conspiracy to murder US citizens and supporting a terrorist organisation.

The Sudanese-born Londoner is the highest profile IS fighter to stand trial in the US. He has been sentenced to eight life sentences, served concurrently, with no option for parole.

He is believed to been a key figure in the deaths of four US hostages: journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig, who were all kidnapped and killed at the hands of the cell.

The sentencing came on the eight-year anniversary of Foley's death.

His mother, Diane, called the sentencing a "hollow victory," but said that it did show that "US justice will find you wherever you are".

"Our country has lost four of its very best citizens. We families lost loved ones forever."

"The Beatles" cell is said to have beheaded 27 hostages. The members of the group grew up in west London.

Mohammed Emwazi was killed in a drone strike in 2015. Alexanda Kotey pleaded guilty in a US court to charges of conspiring to murder four American hostages in September 2021. Aine Davis was recently deported to the UK and arrested after spending time in a Turkish prison.

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