He is one of the “Beatles” of the Islamic State. A nickname given to a cell of the jihadist group in the United Kingdom, specializing in the execution of Western hostages. Aine Davis, 39, was sentenced Monday to eight years in prison by a London court, notably for financing terrorism.
Detained at Belmarsh high security prison since his expulsion from Turkey and then his arrest in London in August 2022, he pleaded guilty to financing terrorist activities between 2013 and 2014 and possession of a firearm for purposes linked to terrorism during a hearing in mid-October. According to British law, there was therefore no trial for this man, who had initially pleaded not guilty to the same facts.
More than seven years in prison in Türkiye
Active in Syria between 2012 and 2015, the four members of the “Beatles”, who grew up and were radicalized in London, are accused of having supervised the detention of at least 27 journalists and humanitarian workers from the United States, from the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Japan, New Zealand and Russia.
Arrested in Turkey in November 2015, Aine Davis, who denied having belonged to the “Beatles” group, was sentenced there to seven and a half years in prison for terrorist offenses, in particular for participation in a banned organization. Once released, he was deported and directly arrested last August upon his arrival in London, where he grew up and converted to Islam before joining the Middle East. During the hearing held in mid-October, he appeared by videoconference from his cell at Belmarsh high security prison.