Daesh-Linked Jihadists Facing Trial in US May Face Death Penalty - UK's Javid
LONDON (Sputnik) - UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid has not ruled out that the death penalty may be an option for two UK-raised members of a radical cell allied to Daesh* if they were extradited to the United States.
"Personally I don't support the death penalty but on this particular case it’s in everyone’s interests that those individuals are brought to justice in the most appropriate jurisdiction. Given, however, there may be some legal action over this it would be inappropriate for me to say anything further," Javid told reporters.
Last week, UK media reported citing a letter by Javid to US Attorney General Jeff Sessions that London had agreed to extradite Alexanda Kotey and Shafee El-Sheikh to the United States for prosecution without seeking any "assurances" that the individuals would not face the death penalty there, even though capital punishment is prohibited in the United Kingdom.
On Friday, the UK Home Office temporarily suspended cooperation with US authorities over the case of their extradition after a relevant request by a family lawyer of one of the suspects.
Kotey and El-Sheikh, who have already been stripped of their UK citizenship, are said to be members of the notorious extremist cell called "the Beatles," involved in the torture and killing of Western hostages in Syria. According to media reports, they are accused of murdering at least 27 Western hostages.
Since February, they have been imprisoned by the Syrian Democratic Forces but could be extradited to the United States for trial.
- Source : Sputnik News
