‘Beatle’ gets life sentence for Islamic State beheadings

By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A British national who played a key hole in a scheme by the Islamic State to kidnap and kill Western hostages a decade ago has been sentenced to life in prison. Alexanda Kotey was one of several British captors known as “the Beatles” by their captives because of their accents. The life sentence imposed Friday was automatic under the plea deal he made last year. But it does allow the possibility he can serve the remainder of his sentence in Great Britain after 15 years. The hostage-taking scheme resulted in the deaths of four Americans, three of whom were beheaded. Family members tearfully described the impact of Kotey’s crimes at the hearing. Kotey wrote a letter to the court expressing ambivalence about his conduct.