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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Louie Smith & Neil Murphy

Jihadi John made British hostage 'fight in sick WWE Royal Rumble-style game'

A British aid worker was forced to fight other ISIS hostages in a twisted WWE 'Royal Rumble'-style game, his horrified daughter has revealed.

David Haines, 44, was snatched at gunpoint by Islamic terrorists in 2013 before being executed by the sick gang 18 months later.

Just hours earlier before his abduction he sent a text to his daughter Bethany, 22, asking: "Hey there darling, hope you're okay.

"I'm fine working away in Turkey. Hope you are feeling better now love dad."

Bethany was initially shielded from details about David's ordeal and murder by her mum.

But she has now learned the full story about her dad's imprisonment from his fellow aid worker Federico Motka.

Bethany Haines opened up on how she felt as she watched her father David Haines beheaded by ISIS (ITV)
David with daughter Bethany in 2011 (UGC)

Ex-CIA boss who helped kill Jihadi John says 'ISIS Beatles should be HANGED'  

Bethany said: "Federico was the first person who was completely honest with me the whole time.

"I just wanted 100 per cent honesty, because up until then I had not been told the full truth. That conversation with him gave me a lot of closure.

"He was a straight-up guy - the same way my father was.

"When people tell me I'm a lot like my dad, I used to always think I don't believe it.

"When [Federico] says, 'Oh you're so much like your dad,' it really does ring true ? and I think, well, I must be doing something right."

Jihadi John, real name Mohammed Emwazi, was killed in a drone strike in November 2015 (X80001)

Security expert David was working for French charity the Agency for Technical Co-operation and Development (Acted) when he was abducted in March 2013.

He and Italian colleague Federico were pulled out of their car at gunpoint by masked men they later nicknamed "the Beatles" because of their English accents.

Despite only having met four days earlier the two men quickly became firm friends as they endured torture, beatings and sleep deprivation.

While in prison they were forced to fight two other Western hostages, American journalist Jim Foley and the British photographer John Cantlie, in a WWE style 'Royal Rumble'.

Federico explained: "They had Dave and me in one corner, and John and James in the other, and they wanted us to fight.

Hero London Bridge police officer charged in and held off 'wolf pack' terrorists

"We obviously weren't going to fight each other, but you kind of couldn't not fight each other as there was potential for punishment.

"You have to understand we were like skeletons by then, and every one of us fainted at some stage or another just from exhaustion.

"So, we weren't exactly hurting each other. But [our captors] found it highly entertaining."

At one stage the pair were held with 17 other western hostages, including American journalists Foley and Steven Sotloff, British aid worker Alan Henning, US aid worker Peter Kassig and British photographer Jim Cantlie.

Federico told Bethany how the hostages told stories about their past and gave mini lectures on their hobbies to pass the time.

They also constructed primitive chess pieces from cheese cartons and olive pits.

He added: "We drew a lot of strength from each other.

"The games allowed us to escape inside a world that we created for ourselves, and it's the same with the talks.

The terrorist executioner gained notoriety following the release of ISIS propaganda videos (AFP)

ISIS bride Shamima Begum's baby son 'dies in Syria'

"James talked about literature, Steve talked about American sports, John spoke about motorcycles. You know, everyone had their own passion.

"These guys aren't just people or friends: they're brothers. I think I spent more time sleeping next to David than any girl at that point in my life.

"Me and David had built up a particular relationship because we were caught together, because we went through everything together."

Foley, Sotloff, Henning and Kassig were beheaded while Cantile's fate remains unknown.

Federico was freed by Isis after 14 months in captivity when the Italian government reportedly paid a £5 million ransom.

But the British government refused to pay and David was beheaded by Londoner Emwazi in September 2014.

The cold-blooded murder was filmed and posted online.

Bethany met Federico the following month when a memorial service for her father was held in his native Scotland.

They have gone on to become great friends and remain in regular contact.

Bethany explained: "Federico and I were kind of forced together through this...Getting to know him has been a really great experience for me."

Federico added: "I definitely see a lot of David in her. Which is a wonderful thing I guess ... to know that part of David lives on."

Bethany may travel to war-torn Syria this summer to find David's remains and bring them back to Scotland.

She said: "I miss my father. I miss walking by the river with him.

"All he wanted was to help people and he paid for it with his life.

"I decided that in the summer I would launch a campaign and appeal to anyone who may have information about my father's remains.

"Even if it meant going over to Syria to look for them myself."

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