Mike Haines is speaking from a Heathrow hotel as he awaits a flight to the United States to witness the sentencing of Alexanda Kotey, the UK-born Islamic State (IS) extremist and member of what was dubbed the “Jihadi Beatles” – young British Muslims who volunteered to fight for IS in Syria and Iraq. Last year, Kotey pleaded guilty in a US Federal court to “hostage-taking resulting in death” from 2012–15. One of the terrorist group’s victims was Mike’s brother David, an aid worker who was kidnapped from a refugee camp in Syria in March 2013 before being murdered in September 2014. Shortly after David’s death, Mike set up Global Acts of Unity (GAU), a campaign to promote tolerance and understanding among schoolchildren, so that “something positive comes out of this senseless act”.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
