Two British Islamic State members will not face death penalty in US; here's why

The US has told the UK that two British Islamic State (IS) members will not face the death penalty in America if convicted of the killings of Western hostages in Iraq and Syria, the media reported on Thursday.

Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, who are currently under US military custody in Iraq, are accused of being the last two members of an IS execution squad dubbed "The Beatles" because of their British accents, the BBC reported.

US authorities would not seek the death penalty against the two men

In a letter to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel, US Attorney General William Barr said on Wednesday the US authorities would not seek the death penalty against the two men and "if imposed, it will not be carried out".

In the light of the assurances, he said he hoped the UK would share "important evidence" about the men promptly. "If we receive the requested evidence and attendant cooperation from the UK, we intend to proceed with a US prosecution.

"Indeed, it is these unique circumstances that have led me to provide the assurance offered in this letter," the BBC quoted Barr as saying in the letter.

In response, a Home Office spokesman said on Thursday the UK "continue to work closely with international partners to ensure that those who have committed crimes in the name of IS are brought to justice".

The two men were British citizens, but have been stripped of their UK nationality. The four-member 'Beatles' is responsible for beheading numerous Western captives, including Americans James Foley, Steven Sotloff and Peter Kassig.

The other two 'Beatles' are Mohammed Emmwazi, aka 'Jihadi John', who was killed by a CIA drone strike in 2015, and Aine Lesley Davis, who was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison in Turkey in 2017.