ISIS Captive Held By The Infamous Jihadi John Reveals How Hostages Were Forced To Sing Propaganda Version Of ‘Hotel California’

Danish photographer Daniel Rye has recently opened up about his frightening 13 month stint as a captive of the Islamic State in Syria back in 2o13.

He was held prisoner by the British ISIS gang who went by the name “The Beatles,” a four-person terrorist cell whose most notable member consisted of the ruthless “Jihadi John,” the man allegedly behind a handful of gruesome beheading videos ISIL released to the public (pictured above).

For over a year, the then 26-year-old was beaten, tortured, and psychologically dismantled at the hands of the ‘The Beatles,’ who made Daniel watch spies get brutally executed while mercilessly teasing him with phrases like ‘You’re next.’

The Daily Mail reported a particularly grueling torture tactic that these monsters used that caused Daniel to unsuccessfully attempt suicide before his captors eyes.

He was beaten and interrogated daily. One evening he was taken to a new room. ‘Hello Daniel. Are you ready for me now?’ 

This was Abu Hurraya, a tall, broad Syrian with long hair gathered in a ponytail, and he was the prison’s most brutal guard.

Daniel noticed a man lying motionless in the corner.

‘You’ll look like that in 24 hours,’ said Abu Hurraya. ‘Reach out your arms.’

He pulled down some chains from the ceiling and looped them around Daniel’s handcuffs.

The chains were tightened and Daniel’s body was now completely extended, arms stretched towards the ceiling.

The sharp iron dug into his wrists. ‘See you tomorrow,’ said Abu Hurraya cheerily. ‘You might be ready to talk by then.’

The feeling in Daniel’s hands and arms quickly disappeared, replaced by a constant pain throughout his body.

He had been there for 24 hours when Abu Hurraya briefly returned and loosened the chain. Daniel crumpled to the floor like a rag.

When Abu Hurraya had left, Daniel climbed on to a table, wrapped the chain around his neck  and jumped.

He felt a violent jerk in his body and plaster from the ceiling rained down on him.

There was a tightening sensation around his neck and everything went black… Some people were holding him up, others fiddled with the chain.

Someone threw cold water on his face. The guards broke out in cheers: their hostage was alive.

The ISIS killers also implemented deranged psychological warfare tactics to mock and humiliate their prisoners as if their captivity was some sort of fucked up game for their general amusement.

The Brits composed a verse to the melody of The Eagles’ hit Hotel California and ordered the hostages to learn the verses by heart, so that they could sing the chorus: ‘Welcome to Osama’s lovely hotel; Such a lovely place, such a lovely place. You will never leave Osama’s lovely hotel; and if you try, you will die, Mr Bigley-style.’

The last line of the song was in reference to Kenneth Bigley, a British civil engineer who had been kidnapped in Baghdad in 2004 and had been he subject to one of Jihadi John’s sickening beheading videos.

Daniel got a special surprise on the day of his birthday, when Jihadi John made him dance before beating him to a pulp.

Daniel felt that the British guard was staring at his body. ‘Have you been exercising?’ ‘A little,’ said Daniel.

‘Then we can box with you,’ suggested John, and began hitting him. ‘I’m not so good at boxing,’

Daniel said, trying to avoid being drawn in to the fight. John and Ringo threw punches at his shoulders and ribs until Daniel lay on the floor in the foetal position. ‘You’re bad at boxing… would you rather dance?’ 

John took hold of Daniel’s clothes and pulled him to his feet. ‘Come on, let’s dance!’ he shouted. Daniel felt John’s hand on the upper part of his back.

He stood face to face with the hooded Brit. He was holding Daniel’s outstretched arm and forcing him over the floor in a stiff tango pose.

The rest of the Beatles laughed. Each time they turned, the Brit exaggerated the movements before again flinging Daniel across the floor.

Fortunately, a hostage exchange arrangement was made on June 20 and he was flown home to his hometown of Denmark.

Jihadi John was later killed by a U.S. drone in November of 2015. Good riddance, shithead.

[h/t Daily Mail]

Matt Keohan Avatar
Matt’s love of writing was born during a sixth grade assembly when it was announced that his essay titled “Why Drugs Are Bad” had taken first prize in D.A.R.E.’s grade-wide contest. The anti-drug people gave him a $50 savings bond for his brave contribution to crime-fighting, and upon the bond’s maturity 10 years later, he used it to buy his very first bag of marijuana.