By Jan Wolfe

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – A U.S. court will begin Tuesday against an alleged member in a group Islamic State militants who beheaded hostages from America. The terrorists were nicknamed “The Beatles”, because they have a British accent.

El Shafee Elsheikh (33), will be tried in Alexandria federal court, Virginia. She is accused of conspiracy to murder and lethal hostage taking.

Elsheikh, one of the four ISIS militants who belonged to the Islamic State cell’s four members, was also a member. After releasing video footage of U.S. journalist James Foley’s murder and Steven Sotloff’s assassination, the cell gained international attention.

Elsheikh Kotey and Alexanda Kokotey were two members of this cell. They were taken into custody in Iraq before being transferred to the United States for trial.

Mohammed Emwazi was a British citizen and oversaw executions. In 2015, the drone strikes claimed his life. Aine Lesley, fourth member, was sentenced in Turkey to terrorism-related charges.

Kotey pleaded guilty to September 2021 the murders Foley Sotloff Mueller, Kassig, and Mueller. Next month, he will be sentenced.

Kotey, a British citizen, was expelled by the British government.

Although Elsheikh is a UK citizen and faces a possible death sentence, U.S. officials have informed British officials they won’t seek death penalties against Elsheikh nor Kotey.

U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis will supervise the trial and spend Tuesday interviewing possible jurors in order to guarantee a fair trial.

Elsheikh’s lawyers claim that Emwazi orchestrated the executions at the request of Islamic State leaders.