El Shafee Elsheikh, known as Jihadi George, is a Sudanese-born British captive of the Syrian Democratic Forces, who said he was fleeing from the collapse of Daesh, the short-lived "Islamic State". He has been designated a terrorist by the United States and identified in the press as one of the four Jihadi Beatles who took part in Daesh atrocities. Elsheikh has denied being a member of "the Beatles" but admits joining the Daesh terrorist group.
In 2014 and 2015, Daesh held dozens of European and North American captives, and the brutal conditions of their detention was widely reported. Four English-speaking Daesh fighters played a central role in the brutality. Their identities were initially either not known or security officials did not make their identities known to the public, so the press dubbed the four as The Beatles, with Mohammed Emwazi, the most well-known being known of the group, having been dubbed Jihadi John. Later, Elsheikh was reported to have been one of the other three Beatles. On March 30, 2017, Elsheikh and four other men were named as suspected terrorists, by the US State Department, under Executive Order 13224. This Executive Order signed by PresidentGeorge W. Bush, shortly after al Qaeda's attacks on September 11, 2001, allowed the State Department to bar US citizens, US financial institutions, and other US corporations, from having any financial transactions with designated individuals. Syrian Democratic Forces captured Elsheikh, and his friend Alexanda Kotey, on January 24, 2018. The pair were reported to have been trying to blend in with genuine civilian refugees, fleeing the collapse of the last Daesh enclaves.
Future detention and possible venue for prosecution
The Independent reported that the United Kingdom government was considering agreeing that Kotey and Elsheikh could be transferred to the Guantanamo detention camps. Detention in Guantanamo could be indefinite detention, without charge, if transferred to US custody. For a civilian trial, they would likely be detained at the Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, if they were convicted. The Independent described how bleak conditions would be at the Florence Supermax, confinement to a featureless cell, for 23 hours a day, practically no human contact, exercise periods in a small featureless courtyard, near their cell. Another option under consideration is trial at the International Court in the Hague. According to The Independent, the UK government would first strip Kotey and Elsheikh of UK citizenship, prior to agreeing to transfer to the Hague. The Guardian quoted Tobias Ellwood, the UK Minister of Defence, who argued that transfer to Guantanamo was inappropriate. In a face-to-face interview with Jenan Moussa of Al Aan TV in Kobani, Syria, at the beginning of April 2018 Elsheikh said he was interviewed by US and Syrian Democratic Forces officials, but not by UK officials.
