Woman charged in beheading plot appears in court


February 3, 2012 at 2:36p.m.

Woman charged in beheading plot appears in court

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge in North Carolina is weighing whether to hold a Raleigh school administrator accused of paying a hit man to behead three witnesses in a terrorism case.

Nevine Aly Elshiekh made her first court appearance today. She was arrested last month after FBI agents tracked her to a meeting with a government informant posing as a hit man’s representative. Agents say the 46-year-old educator provided the names of those to be killed and a $750 down payment toward the first hit.

Prosecutors say the plot was masterminded by Hysen Sherifi, sentenced last month to 45 years in prison for a conspiracy to attack the Marine base at Quantico, Va.

Also arrested in the beheading plot is Shkumbin Sherifi, the terror defendant’s 21-year-old brother.