INDIANAPOLIS — Two of the ISIS terrorists accused of being involved in the murders of U.S. hostages in Syria, will likely be brought to the U.S. in mid-October to ultimately face trial.
According to NBC News, Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, are being held in Iraq for taking part in the kidnapping of international hostages including U.S. aid worker from Indiana, Abdul-Rahman (Peter) Kassig in 2013. Kassig was in Syria delivering food and medical supplies to refugees when he was taken. He was held for more than a year before being killed in November of 2014.
U.S. and British authorities said the terrorist group is responsible for 27 killings, including the beheadings of James Foley, Steven Sotloff and Kassig, as well as of British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning.
Kotey and Elsheikh had denied being involved in the killings, but have talked about the kidnappings and beating at least one victim.
Kurdish forces captured Kotey and Elsheikh in 2018 and turned them over to U.S. forces. Families of the victims have been pushing for the men to be tried in America where they would face longer sentences.
According to NBC, Attorney General William Barr promised to take the death penalty off the table in August, which helped the U.S. get the information it needed from the U.K. to prosecute the men in the U.S.
