Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Alleged member of ISIS 'Beatles' charged in U.K. with terrorism

This court artist's sketch of Aine Leslie Davis, 38, in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court, central London, on Aug. 11, 2022. (Elizabeth Cook / PA via AP) This court artist's sketch of Aine Leslie Davis, 38, in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court, central London, on Aug. 11, 2022. (Elizabeth Cook / PA via AP)
Share
LONDON -

An alleged member of an Islamic State group cell nicknamed "The Beatles" that tortured and killed Western hostages was charged with terrorism offenses in Britain on Thursday after being deported from Turkey.

Aine Davis, 38, was arrested at Luton Airport north of London on Wednesday night after arriving on a flight from Turkey and charged with offenses under the Terrorism Act, the Metropolitan Police Service said.

During a court appearance on Thursday, Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring ordered Davis held in custody until his next court appearance on Sept. 2.

The militants dubbed "The Beatles" by their captives because of their British accents, held about two dozen Westerners a decade ago, when ISIS controlled a large swath of Syria and Iraq. Several of the captives were killed in gruesome beheadings that were broadcast online, including Americans James Foley and Steven Sotloff and Britons David Haines and Alan Henning.

Davis spoke briefly to confirm his name and date of birth during a brief hearing at London's Westminster Magistrates Court. He wasn't asked to enter a plea.

Prosecutors say he has been charged with possession of a firearm for terror purposes, and two charges related to funding terrorism, after a friend allegedly tried to take 20,000 euros to Syria. The charges relate to alleged offences in 2013 and 2014.

Davis was arrested in Turley in 2015 and convicted in 2017 of belonging to the Islamic State group. During his trial there, he denied being one of "The Beatles."

The group's four alleged members knew one another in West London before travelling to the Middle East and joining ISIS. Mohammed Emwazi, who carried out the executions and was nicknamed "Jihadi John," was killed in a drone strike in 2015.

Two others, Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, were captured by U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in 2018 and are imprisoned in the U.S. Kotey has been given a life sentence and Elsheikh is expected to get life when he is formally sentenced later this month.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Police responded to the area of Beverly Street and Dundas Street North around 6 a.m. Monday for a report of a missing two-year-old boy.

There are 'no restrictions' on the right to receive health services in Quebec for English speakers, according to a new clarification document issued by the Quebec Health Ministry on Monday.

A six-year-old boy from northeastern Manitoba who had been missing since last Wednesday has been found dead.

Local Spotlight

Before influencers on social media, Canada’s Jeanne Beker was bringing the world of high fashion down to earth and as Calgary’s Glenbow Museum gets a major make-over, it will include a new exhibition showcasing the pop culture icon.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.