FALLS CHURCH, Va.: One of two British nationals charged with joining with the Islamic State group and conspiring to torture and behead American and European hostages in Syria is scheduled to plead guilty to criminal charges.
Federal court records show a change of plea hearing has been scheduled for Thursday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria for Alexanda Amon Kotey.
He is one of four Islamic State members who were dubbed the Beatles by their captives because of their British accents.
Kotey and another man, El Shafee Elsheikh, were brought to the U.S. last year to face charges.
Court documents do not indicate the specific charge or charges to which Kotey is expected to plead. The indictment charges them in connection with the deaths of four American hostages journalist James Foley, journalist Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller as well as European and Japanese nationals who also were held captive.
The Justice Department, in order to obtain their extradition, promised neither defendant would face a death sentence.
Nothing in the court records indicates that Elsheikh has reached a plea deal.
Raj Parekh, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and also a member of the prosecution team on the Kotey and Elsheikh cases, declined comment Tuesday evening.
Geremy Kamens, a federal public defender who represents Kotey, also declined comment.
A third Beatle, Mohammed Emwazi, also known as jihadi John, was killed in a 2015 drone strike. A fourth member is serving a prison sentence in Turkey.
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