A British national, in a federal courtroom near the nation’s capital on Thursday evening admitted that he played a leadership role in an Islamic State scheme to torture, hold for ransom and eventually behead American hostages.

Alexanda Anon Kotey, 37, pleaded guilty to all eight counts against him at a plea hearing in US District Court in Alexandria. The charges include hostage-taking resulting in death and providing material support to the Islamic State group from 2012 through 2015.

Kotey admitted guilt in connection with the deaths of four American hostages — journalist James Foley, journalist Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. According to reports, he also admitted guilt with the deaths of European and Japanese nationals who also were held captive.

Kotey is one of four Islamic State members who were dubbed “the Beatles” by their captives because of their British accents. He and another man, El Shafee Elsheikh, were brought to the US last year to face charges after the US assured Britain that neither man would face the death penalty.

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According to a report published by The Associated Press, Elsheikh is still scheduled to go on trial in January. A third Beatle, Mohammed Emwazi, also known as “Jihadi John”, was killed in a 2015 drone strike. A fourth member is serving a prison sentence in Turkey.

It is reportedly said that the plea deal sets a mandatory minimum sentence of life without parole. After 15 years, he would be eligible to be transferred to the United Kingdom to face any possible charges there.

In the plea deal, Kotey admits that life is an appropriate sentence in the United Kingdom as well. If he were to receive a sentence of less than life there, the deal requires that he serve the rest of his life sentence, either in the United Kingdom if that country will do so, or be transferred back to the US to serve the life term.

The deal also requires Kotey to cooperate with authorities and answer questions about his time in the Islamic State group. He would not be required to testify at Elsheikh’s trial.

The deal also requires him to meet with victims’ families if they request it.

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Kotey gave a detailed account of his time in Islamic State when US District Judge TS Ellis asked him to explain in his own words what he had done.

He said he traveled to Syria to “engage in a military fight against the Syrian forces of Bashar Assad” and that he eventually pledged allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

He also acknowledged that he participated in “capture-and-detain operations” to kidnap Foley and other Western hostages and that he led efforts to extract ransoms.

In 2018, Kotey and Elsheikh were captured in Syria by the US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces while trying to escape to Turkey.

Family members of all four victims attended Thursday’s hearing and stood outside the courthouse afterward with prosecutors.