El Shafee Elsheikh, the convicted ISIS terrorist known as “Jihadi Ringo” who was part of the notorious “Beatles” beheading gang, has formally applied to transfer from his high-security American prison to serve his eight life sentences in Britain, triggering fierce opposition from victims’ families and political leaders.
The 37-year-old Sudan-born terrorist, who grew up in White City, west London, is currently imprisoned in Colorado after being convicted by a US federal jury in April 2022 on eight charges including hostage-taking, conspiracy to commit murder, and supporting a terrorist organisation. Despite having his British citizenship revoked in 2018, Elsheikh has utilised the International Prisoner Transfer Programme to request repatriation, citing a desire to be closer to family and friends.
Bethany Haines, daughter of murdered British aid worker David Haines, expressed visceral opposition to the transfer request. The idea someone this evil could be back in a British prison makes my skin crawl,” she told The Sun. “He is one of the worst terrorists to come from this country and it’s an outrageous insult to our families for him to apply to return to one of our prisons for an easier life.”
The Beatles Terror Cell
The ISIS cell earned their grim moniker from hostages who noted the terrorists’ distinctive British accents, assigning them names after members of the famous Liverpool band. Between August 2014 and January 2015, the group carried out systematic beheadings of Western hostages, including American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and British humanitarian workers David Haines and Alan Henning.
According to court documents from the US Department of Justice, the cell held more than 20 Western hostages in cramped cells in Western Raqqa, Syria. Testimony revealed they subjected captives to extreme torture, including electroshock weapons, mock executions, crucifixion, and waterboarding. The terrorists filmed their executions and distributed the videos as propaganda, shocking the international community.
David Haines, 44, from Perth, Scotland, was captured in March 2013 whilst delivering humanitarian aid in Syria. After 18 months of captivity involving starvation and torture, he was executed in September 2014. Alan Henning, a 47-year-old taxi driver from Eccles who had become a volunteer aid worker, was killed in October 2014 after being warned by local colleagues not to cross into Syria.
US Notification and Transfer Process
A formal notification sent by US authorities to victims’ relatives states: “This is to inform you that El Shafee Elsheikh has applied to transfer to the UK, the country of which the inmate is national. The United States has prisoner transfer relationships with many countries. These treaties permit foreign nationals to apply to transfer and serve their sentence in their home country.”
The document explains that before making any decision, American officials will collect “information about the prisoner, the views of law enforcement and any views provided by victims.” Family members were given 30 days to submit evidence to the US Department of Justice regarding the transfer application.
Ms Haines submitted a formal response to US authorities, warning that Elsheikh is “manipulating the system” to secure better prison conditions. She highlighted particular concerns about facilities like HMP Belmarsh in London, where inmates have access to televisions, games consoles, gyms, workshops and mosques. “As well as better conditions here, my biggest fear is he one day walks free and would be allowed to live within hours of the same place I live. It’s a horrible thought,” she said.
Political Response and Trump Administration Pressure
The transfer request comes amid broader pressure from Donald Trump’s incoming administration for Western nations to repatriate their ISIS prisoners. Sebastian Gorka, Trump’s Deputy Assistant and Senior Director for Counterterrorism, told The Times in January 2025 that countries wishing to be “serious allies” of the United States should honour their “commitment” to the international fight against ISIS by taking back citizens currently detained in Syria.
“Any nation which wishes to be seen to be a serious ally and friend of the most powerful nation in the world should act in a fashion that reflects that serious commitment,” Gorka stated. “That is doubly so for the UK which has a very special place in President Trump’s heart and we would all wish to see the ‘special relationship’ fully re-established.”
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick firmly rejected any possibility of Elsheikh’s return, stating: “We stripped him of his citizenship precisely so he never steps foot on British soil again. If he wants to go home, he can go to Sudan.”
Ms Haines expressed particular concern about the current political climate, warning: “I fear Sir Keir Starmer is very much in Donald Trump’s pocket. Under previous governments, you would say, ‘Oh, that would never happen’, but the harsh reality is that Elsheikh and others like him could be back in our prisons soon.”
Ministry of Justice Response
A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman responded to enquiries about the transfer application, stating: “We have not received any application from the US, but we have the right to refuse any request.” The spokesperson added that “any prisoners who are transferred to the UK will serve the rest of their sentence here.”
The official position emphasises Britain’s sovereign right to refuse transfer requests, though the pressure from Washington adds a complex diplomatic dimension to the decision-making process.
The Beatles Cell Members
Of the original four-member cell, Mohammed Emwazi, known as “Jihadi John” who appeared in multiple execution videos, was killed in a US drone strike in Raqqa in November 2015. Alexanda Kotey, dubbed “Jihadi George”, pleaded guilty to eight charges in September 2021 and agreed to cooperate with authorities as part of a plea agreement that includes potential transfer to a UK prison after serving 15 years in America.
British Muslim convert Aine Davis, suspected of being the fourth member known as “Paul”, was jailed for eight years in 2023, though US prosecutors claimed in July 2022 that only three members existed and “Paul” was fictional.
International Implications
Jonathan Hall KC, the UK’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, warned in February 2023 that detention camps in Syria could become “Britain’s Guantanamo” if British nationals were not allowed home. Approximately 70 Britons, including 20 women and 40 children, remain detained in Kurdish-controlled facilities in northeast Syria.
The fall of Bashar Assad’s regime to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has created additional instability in the region, raising concerns about the long-term security of detention facilities. Gorka warned on LBC Radio that “the security of those prisons is not assured” and “there is no guarantee that any of the camps or any of the prisons will maintain secure control over those who are inside them.”
Mike Haines, David’s brother, described his sibling as “just another bloke” who was “brought up to know right from wrong.” In a statement released through the Foreign Office, he said: “His joy and anticipation for the work he did in Syria is, for myself and family, the most important element of this whole sad affair. He was and is loved by all his family and will be missed terribly.”
As the UK government weighs this unprecedented transfer request, the case highlights enduring tensions between security concerns, diplomatic pressures, and the raw emotions of families still grieving their murdered loved ones. The decision will likely set a precedent for how Britain handles similar requests from other ISIS prisoners seeking repatriation.
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