British national pleads guilty to role in terror beheadings

By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A British national has admitted in federal court that he played a leadership role in an Islamic State scheme to torture, hold for ransom and eventually behead American hostages. Thirty-seven-year-old Alexanda Anon Kotey pleaded guilty Thursday evening to all eight counts against him at a plea hearing in U.S. District Court in Alexandria. The charges include hostage-taking resulting in death. The charges include a mandatory minimum life sentence but allow him to serve the remainder of his sentence in the United Kingdom after serving 15 years in the U.S. Kotey was one of four Islamic State members who were dubbed “the Beatles” by their captives because of their British accents.