FAMILY PRAISE 'HUGE RESULT' IN THE STEPS TO GETTING JUSTICE FOR ALAN HENNING

So far no date has been set for the trial of Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh who stand charged of the brutal murder or local taxi driver, humanitarian aid worker, father and husband, Alan Henning back in 2014.

Mr Henning had been travelling to distribute aid to the orphaned children of Syria as part of an aid convoy which had set off from Bolton.

Tragically he was kidnapped and held as a hostage by the group known as Islamic State of which both Kotey and Elsheikh are accused of being members of. It is alleged that they belonged to a cell within the group known as 'The Beatles' due to their British accents, who were responsible for the brutal and barbaric murders of both Alan as well as a number of other Western captives, including US born David Haines.

After a landmark decision on Tuesday to allow the sharing of intelligence information with US authorities, the pair will now stand a fair trial in America.

Speaking via a statement from the Hostage International charity, the family made the a short statement expressing their praise for the decision which they describe as being a 'Huge Result'.

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“We have only ever wanted to see these two men being held accountable and brought to justice through a fair trial for their alleged actions.”

For a time, the prospect of a criminal trial looked distant after Elsheikh’s mother, Maha Elgizouli, asked for a judicial review as she sought to prevent evidence against her son and his co-accused being sent to the US.

Ms Elgizouli had tried to argue that the decision was unlawful as it was incompatible with the Data Protection Act, and asked the court to order that no material should be provided to the US.

However, the court upheld the decision made by the Home Secretary Priti Patel.

The groups ringleader, Mohammed Emwazi who was given the moniker of Jihadi John by the worlds press, was killed in a US airstrike in 2015.

Since his death at the hands of Islamic State, the outpouring of love for one of our greatest Salfordian's has led to his name being immortalised on a road which is soon to be named in his honour, there are also plans to give Alan posthumously the freedom of the City in honour of his selfless act of kindness, compassion whilst showcasing the spirit of Salford to the world stage.