‘Biggest boost for spies since killing of bin Laden’

SHOT Osama bin Laden THE arrest of two British jihadists could lead to the biggest counter-terror breakthrough since Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011 , experts say.

Alexanda Kotey, 34, and El Shafee Elsheikh, 29, were caught by Western-backed Kurdish fighters battling Islamic State in eastern Syria.

It is believed the seizures could reveal vital intelligence about terror attacks against the UK, the rest of Europe and America – or the whereabouts of missing hostages. They were seized last month by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria and have been interrogated by US intelligence for information about their Islamic State masters.

They face life sentences in an American “supermax” prison. Details gleaned by the Americans has been passed to MI6 and MI5.

A security source told the Daily Mirror: “They may hold information about terror attacks across Europe, including Britain. They will have KILLED Jihadi John information about new weapons systems, travel routes across Europe, perhaps the whereabouts of safe houses but crucially what has happened to western hostages.

“It could stop terror attacks and could also reveal the fate or whereabouts of hostages like the British journalist John Cantlie.”

The two men will probably face trial in the States. Our source added: “Britain is limited by human rights law.”