Isis 'Jihadi Ringo' applies to return to Britain despite having citizenship revoked - 'Go home to Sudan!'

WATCH: ‘Islamism is RULING our prisons’: Ex-counter terror chief’s stark warning after horror attack at HMP Frankland

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GB NEWS

Sophie Little

By Sophie Little


Published: 28/08/2025

- 06:51

The 37-year-old terrorist is serving eight life sentences after being convicted by an American Federal jury in 2022

A terrorist known as "Jihadi Ringo" who was part of the Isis "Beatles" beheading gang has applied to return to the UK.

El Shafee Elsheikh wants to transfer from a high-security prison in the US to jail in his "home country" of Britain.


"The Beatles" were known for filming the killings of their hostages - one of whom was David Haines, an aid worker, who was starved and tortured before his public execution.

Now, Mr Haines's daughter Bethany has spoken out.

She said: "The idea someone this evil could be back in a British prison makes my skin crawl.

"He left this country to bring terror to the world and inflicted the most appalling treatment on my father and others when he held him captive.

"He is one of the worst terrorists to come from this country and it's an outrageous insult to out families for him to apply to return to one of our prisons for an easier life.

"I beg the UK Government to act to make sure he never sets foot on these shores again," she warned The Sun.

However, she added: "I fear Sir Keir Starmer is very much in Donald Trump's pocket.

"Under previous governments, you would say, 'Oh, that would never happen', but the harsh reality is that Elsheikh and others like him could be back in our prisons soon."

Sudan-born Elsheikh grew up in London, although his British citizenship was revoked in 2018.

El Shafee Elsheikh

Having been born in Sudan, Elsheikh grew up in London, although his British citizenship was revoked in 2018

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REUTERS

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: "We stripped him of his citizenship precisely so he never steps foot on British soil again.

"If he want to go home, he can go to Sudan."

The 37-year-old terrorist is serving eight life sentences after being convicted by a Federal jury in 2022 of terror charges which included hostage-taking and conspiring to murder.

He had been captured by Syrian Democratic forces in 2018 alongside fellow "Beatle" Alexanda Kotey.

ISIS TERRORISTS - READ MORE:

Order of Service from David Haines' funeral

David Haines, an aid worker, was starved and tortured before his public execution

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PA

Kotey, known as "Jihadi George", also had his British citizenship revoked.

The gang were named after the band by hostages due to the members' distinctive British accents.

Their other victims included Americans James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig, and Kayla Mueller.

Elsheikh applied to be transferred from his current prison in Colorado to one in the UK under the International Prisoner Transfer Programme.

Alexandria General District Court, Virginia

The 37-year-old terrorist is serving eight life sentences after being convicted by a Federal jury in 2022 at the Alexandria General District Court in Virginia

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PA

However, victims' families are worried he may be placed in somewhere such as Belmarsh in London which gives access to benefits such as TVs, games consoles, gyms, workshops and mosques to its prisoners - including Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana.

There are also fears Elsheikh, who is understood to have applied in order to be closer to family and friends, would be able to mix with other extremists in the prison.

A US notice sent to victims' relatives reads: "This is to inform you that El Shafee Elsheikh has applied to transfer to the UK, the country of which the inmate is national.

HMP Belmarsh

Victims' families are worried he may be placed in somewhere such as Belmarsh in London which gives access to benefits

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GETTY

"The United States has prisoner transfer relationships with many countries.

"These treaties permit foreign nationals to apply to transfer and serve their sentence in their home country.

"Before making a decision, the US collects information about the prisoner, the views of law enforcement and any views provided by victims."

Family members were given 30 days to submit evidence to the US Department of Justice.

At the beginning of this year, Donald Trump's Deputy Assistant Sebastian Gorka called on the UK to honour its "commitment" to take back British Isis members.

The Ministry of Justice said: "We have not received any application from the US, but we have the right to refuse any request."

It added that any prisoners who are transferred to the UK will serve the rest of their sentence here.

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