Trial of Jihadi ‘Beatles’ faces delay as US prosecutors gather evidence

The extradition of two British Jihadists known as “The Beatles” to face trial in the US has been delayed, according to reports.

Alexanda Kotey, 35, and Shafee El-Sheikh, 30, were expected to face trial in the US over the summer

The two men, who have been held by Kurdish forces in Syria for the past 18 months, could face execution if convicted.

Last year the Telegraph disclosed that the British government had secretly abandoned its blanket opposition to the death penalty to allow the men to be extradited to the US.

However, the Sunday Times reported the rendition of the two men to the US has been delayed because the American Department of Justice needs more time to examine the evidence against them.

Kotey and El-Sheikh, who were captured in January 2018 by anti-Isil forces, were members of a Jihadist group known as "The Beatles" because of their British accents.

It has been widely reported that Kote and El-Sheikh have been stripped of their British citizenship.

In an interview, the two men said they would not receive a fair trial.

Kotey said he "didn’t see the benefit" of executing the hostages, describing the killings as "regrettable".

Bethany Haines, whose father David was beheaded by the cell, voiced regret at the delay.

"We all thought we would get some closure and sense of justice once we heard that they were arrested last year," she told the Sunday Times.