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Alleged fourth 'IS Beatle' charged with terrorism offences

HO VIA MET POLICE Aine DavisHO VIA MET POLICE

A man who was alleged to be a member of an IS terror cell nicknamed the Beatles has been remanded in custody.

Aine Davis is charged with offences including possession of a firearm for a purpose connected with terrorism and charges related to funding terrorism.

The 38-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court, London on Thursday. He has denied being part of the cell.

He was arrested at Luton Airport, Bedfordshire, after being deported to England by Turkey on Wednesday.

He is charged with having:

  • Between 13 and 16 January 2014, invited another to provide money intending that it should be used for terrorism purposes, contrary to section 15 of the Terrorism Act 2000
  • Between 13 and 16 January 2014, entered into or became concerned with an arrangement, a result of which money was to be made available to another, knowing or having reason to suspect it was to be used for the purposes of terrorism, contrary to section 17 of the Terrorism Act
  • Between 28 July 2013 and 16 January 2014, possessed an article, namely a firearm, in circumstances which give rise to a reasonable suspicion that his possession was for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, contrary to section 57 of the Terrorism Act.

Mr Davis is alleged to have asked his wife to send him money in Syria for terrorist purposes, thereby allegedly inviting her to provide funds and entering into a funding arrangement.

He is also accused of possessing a firearm for terrorist purposes after he was allegedly photographed holding one alongside militants in Syria.

The court heard that he did not wish to indicate which way he would plead to the charges. He will next appear at the Old Bailey on 2 September for a pre-trial hearing.

Mr Davis has spent more than six years in a Turkish prison.

He denied being the fourth member of an IS gang that tortured and murdered western hostages in Iraq and Syria.

The ringleader of that gang, Mohammed Emwazi, was killed in a US drone strike seven years ago.

Two others were captured in Syria, and taken to the US, where both have been convicted of committing some of the most gruesome crimes in recent history.

The terror cell was nicknamed the Beatles after the Liverpudlian band, due to the members' English accents.