Latest news with #assassinationattempt
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
US woman accused of murder plot claims she flew to UK for birthday celebrations
An American woman alleged to have been involved in a failed assassination attempt in the UK has told a jury she flew into the country to celebrate her birthday and attend a boat party. Aimee Betro, 45, is alleged to have flown from Wisconsin as part of a plot orchestrated by co-conspirators Mohammed Aslam, 56, and Mohammed Nabil Nazir, 31, of Elms Avenue in Derby, to attack a rival family on September 7, 2019. A trial has heard allegations that Betro disguised her appearance with a niqab when she tried to shoot Sikander Ali at point blank range outside his home in Measham Grove, Birmingham, but the gun jammed, allowing Mr Ali to flee. Giving evidence in her defence on Monday, Betro, from Wisconsin, told Birmingham Crown Court she had slept with Nazir at an Airbnb during a visit to the UK spanning December 2018 and January 2019. Betro, who denies conspiracy to murder, possessing a self-loading pistol and a charge of fraudulently evading the prohibition on importing ammunition, said she did not meet Nazir – who she 'had feelings for' – during a second visit to the UK in May 2019. In her evidence, Betro said the first two visits had seen her doing 'touristy' things such as attending music events, viewing street art in east London, visiting a friend in Birmingham and taking care of a dog 'at someone's house in the middle of England'. Asked why she had paid a third visit to the UK, arriving at Manchester Airport from Atlanta around two weeks before the shooting, Betro told jurors: 'To celebrate my birthday and I won tickets for another boat party in London. 'And there was another little festival that was at Crystal Palace that I wanted to go to.' Betro's barrister, Paul Lewis KC, asked her what she thought of Nazir after meeting him on a dating app, communicating with him via Snapchat and meeting him in London. Betro answered: 'He was charming and I did like him. He was sweet and I did have feelings for him.' She told the court 'I would guess so' when asked if she thought Nazir had feelings for her, but added that she was not trying to build a relationship with him because they lived in different countries. Standing up in the witness box, Betro, wearing a casual round-necked navy blue top and square-rimmed glasses, began her evidence by giving personal details, including her height as being 5ft 5ins. During her evidence, Betro was asked about messages between her and Nazir which referred to a gun broker website and a silencer. She said she did not remember the message referring to a broker, but told the court she had posted 'gaming things' relating to an an old gaming system. She also told the court she had lived at an address in West Allis, Winsconsin, from 2013 to 2019 and had 'a couple of different degrees' in early childhood education and graphic design. The Crown alleges that Betro returned to the scene hours after the shooting and fired three shots into Mr Ali's house, which was empty at the time, before leaving the UK and flying back to the US the next day. The court heard father and son Aslam and Nazir, who were jailed last year for their part in the bungled assassination plot, were involved in a feud with Mr Ali's father, Aslat Mahumad. Nazir and Aslam had been injured during disorder at Mr Mahumad's clothing boutique in Birmingham in July 2018, jurors have been told, leading them to conspire to have someone kill him or a member of his family. The trial continues.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Golf Force One: Armour-plated cart follows Trump around course
Just 10 months ago, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt – his second that year – as he played golf. So as Mr Trump and his entourage set off from the first tee at Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire on Saturday, it appeared that his security team had come better prepared. In addition to the stream of army trucks, road checkpoints, and sniper positions around rural Turnberry, Mr Trump's team deployed an additional security measure in the form of a black-clad, reinforced golf cart. While the president opted to drive a standard white-framed buggy around the course, a distinctly bulkier off-road vehicle trailed him closely throughout. Security experts told The Telegraph the cart bore all the 'tell-tale signs' of being heavily armoured. The Beast – the US presidential state car believed to feature Bond-style gadgets, including smoke screens and electrified door handles – has become a familiar sight in recent years. But this armoured golf buggy appears to be a new addition to the fleet, sparking interest across the armouring and close-protection world. Gary Relf, director of Armoured Car Services, said: 'Just looking at the front windscreen, that looks armoured. I'm sitting in an armoured vehicle now. We build armoured vehicles. That does look armoured to me.' Mr Relf, a former traffic police officer who runs a company providing protective vehicles to wealthy individuals, heads of state and religious leaders, said it could be difficult to spot so-called 'auto-armour', but black banding across a windscreen was usually a giveaway. 'When we armour a vehicle, we take every kind of technical element out, the roof, the seats, the floor, the carpet, and then we put the armouring in, and we replace it all afterwards, so you might never know. 'But the thing that gives it away is the front windscreen.' As with other armoured vehicles, Mr Trump's reinforced golf buggy's windscreen features a black band around it. One of UK policing's foremost experts in armoured vehicles, who asked to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of his work, agreed with this assessment. 'From those photos, that is 100 per cent armoured,' he said. 'The windscreen is a giveaway, as are the side panels, doors, and the large panel at the rear above the load tray.' Credit: Reuters He identified its model as a Polaris Ranger XP and revealed Mr Trump's security golf cart would have been specially modified to offer its passengers as much protection as possible, while remaining light enough to to not damage the course. The front of the buggy, alongside its wheels and tyres, are not significantly adapted from the off-the-shelf model, because it's an 'defensive, not offensive' armoured vehicle, he said. 'Sometimes you just have an armoured cell for the passengers,' he explained. 'Its not a tank. It's defensive, not offensive.' And it's likely to be tailored to specific threats, with the tinting of the glass giving away how secure it is. 'As far as armouring goes, the world is your oyster. If your threat is someone with a baseball bat, you might fit plexiglass. But if it's a 7.62mm Dragunov sniper rifle with a full metal jacket bullet, then you need thicker transparent armour,' he said, referring to the layers of laminate which, combined with layers of glass, are used to make bullet-proof windows. 'The thicker the transparent armouring, the more tinted the window looks,' he added. A US Secret Service spokesman said: 'The US Secret Service employs a variety of tools and resources to safeguard our protectees. In order to maintain operational security, the Secret Service does not discuss the specific means and methods used to conduct our protective operations.' Polaris vehicles are widely used in the UK by rural police teams, the RNLI, mountain rescue and farmers. But the company also supplies military vehicles to US law enforcement and offers in-house armouring. Mr Trump's security team is likely making sure the US president has somewhere to go for protection in case of a third assassination attempt. On Sept 15 2024, guards spotted a man, suspected to be 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, aiming a rifle from shrubbery at a member of Mr Trump's security team at West Palm Beach, Florida. The gunman was chased away before firing a shot, but the episode underscored how exposed Mr Trump is while pursuing his favourite sport. Just two months previously, Mr Trump had survived an assassination attempt when shots were fired from an AR-15-style rifle as he spoke at an open-air campaign rally near Butler in Pensylvania on July 13 2024. One of the bullets clipped his ear and 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, the gunman, was shot and killed by the US Secret Service. 'This stuff is all about threat assessment. What is the threat? Is it a known threat? An unknown threat? Where do we set that level of what we've got to do?' the unnamed security expert added. 'And Americans, they don't take things lightly.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Solve the daily Crossword
The Sun
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
First look at Donald Trump's armoured golf buggy on Turnberry course with Secret Service snipers watching on
DONALD Trump took to his five-star golf course just over a year after he survived an assassination attempt - and was followed by an armour-plated buggy. The US president, 79, was trailed by the reinforced all-black cart which can reach speeds of up to 65mph as he played a round at Turnberry in Ayrshire. 5 5 He was watched by Secret Service agents and snipers 12 months after he was shot in the ear at a rally. The fortified £20,000 Polaris has been fitted with hardened tinted windows and side panels. A source told The Scottish Sun: 'Trump was zipping between holes on a regular cart with this huge thing following behind. 'His bodyguards were staying close and were ready to zoom off if he had to dive in. 'The cart is an amazing bit of kit. 'It has massive chunky tyres, what looked like a winch on the front and even has space at the back for his clubs. 'Americans love their motors and Trump seems no different — this thing was bigger than some of the compact cars you see on the road here.' The visiting leader took to the historic course yesterday after jetting in the evening before. He is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, First Minister John Swinney and tour his Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire. He was back out for another round this morning against middle son Eric, 41, as eldest lad Don Jr, 47, and his wife Vanessa, 47, watched on. First look at Donald Trump's armoured motorcade 'the Beast' as President whisked off to Turnberry Trump blew kisses to a handful of supporters who yelled 'we love you' as he teed off for the second time during his five-day trip to Scotland. He wore a white USA baseball cap and black jacket and drove between holes in a white buggy — while followed by the armoured cart and 26 others. The president is expected to meet with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen today, with discussions with Mr Starmer and Mr Swinney due to take place before he flies home on Tuesday. A US government spokesman said: 'The US Secret Service employs a variety of tools and resources to safeguard our protectees. 'In order to maintain operational security, the Secret Service does not discuss the specific means and methods used to conduct our protective operations.' 5 5 Protection teams are on high alert after Trump was left wounded when a would-be assassins bullet nicked his ear as he spoke at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July last year. Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, fired off eight shots from an assault rifle before he was taken out. The American commander and chief escaped a second attempt on his life just two months later when an armed man was discovered hiding in bushes at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach in Florida. Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, was arrested and is expected to go on trial later this year accused of trying to murder the then presidential election candidate.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Golf Force One: Armour-plated cart follows Trump around course
Just 10 months ago, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt – his second that year – as he played golf. So as Mr Trump and his entourage set off from the first tee at Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire on Saturday, it appeared that his security team had come better prepared. In addition to the stream of army trucks, road checkpoints, and sniper positions around rural Turnberry, Mr Trump's team deployed an additional security measure in the form of a black-clad, reinforced golf cart. While the president opted to drive a standard white-framed buggy around the course, a distinctly bulkier off-road vehicle trailed him closely throughout. Security experts told The Telegraph the cart bore all the 'tell-tale signs' of being heavily armoured. The Beast – the US presidential state car believed to feature Bond-style gadgets, including smoke screens and electrified door handles – has become a familiar sight in recent years. But this armoured golf buggy appears to be a new addition to the fleet, sparking interest across the armouring and close-protection world. Gary Relf, director of Armoured Car Services, said: 'Just looking at the front windscreen, that looks armoured. I'm sitting in an armoured vehicle now. We build armoured vehicles. That does look armoured to me.' Mr Relf, a former traffic police officer who runs a company providing protective vehicles to wealthy individuals, heads of state and religious leaders, said it could be difficult to spot so-called 'auto-armour', but black banding across a windscreen was usually a giveaway. 'When we armour a vehicle, we take every kind of technical element out, the roof, the seats, the floor, the carpet, and then we put the armouring in, and we replace it all afterwards, so you might never know. 'But the thing that gives it away is the front windscreen.' As with other armoured vehicles, Mr Trump's reinforced golf buggy's windscreen features a black band around it. One of UK policing's foremost experts in armoured vehicles, who asked to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of his work, agreed with this assessment. 'From those photos, that is 100 per cent armoured,' he said. 'The windscreen is a giveaway, as are the side panels, doors, and the large panel at the rear above the load tray.' He identified its model as a Polaris Ranger XP and revealed Mr Trump's security golf cart would have been specially modified to offer its passengers as much protection as possible, while remaining light enough to to not damage the greens it's trailed across. The front of the buggy, alongside its wheels and tyres, are not significantly adapted from the off-the-shelf model, because it's an 'defensive, not offensive' armoured vehicle, he said. 'Sometimes you just have an armoured cell for the passengers,' he explained. 'Its not a tank. It's defensive, not offensive.' And it's likely to be tailored to specific threats, with the tinting of the glass giving away how secure it is. 'As far as armouring goes, the world is your oyster. If your threat is someone with a baseball bat, you might fit plexiglass. But if it's a 7.62mm Dragunov sniper rifle with a full metal jacket bullet, then you need thicker transparent armour,' he said, referring to the layers of laminate which, combined with layers of glass, are used to make bullet-proof windows. 'The thicker the transparent armouring, the more tinted the window looks,' he added. A US Secret Service spokesman said: 'The US Secret Service employs a variety of tools and resources to safeguard our protectees. In order to maintain operational security, the Secret Service does not discuss the specific means and methods used to conduct our protective operations.' Polaris vehicles are widely used in the UK by rural police teams, the RNLI, mountain rescue and farmers. But the company also supplies military vehicles to US law enforcement and offers in-house armouring. Mr Trump's security team is likely making sure the US president has somewhere to go for protection in case of a third assassination attempt. On Sept 15 2024, guards spotted a man, suspected to be 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, aiming a rifle from shrubbery at a member of Mr Trump's security team at West Palm Beach, Florida. The gunman was chased away before firing a shot, but the episode underscored how exposed Mr Trump is while pursuing his favourite sport. Just two months previously, Mr Trump had survived an assassination attempt when shots were fired from an AR-15-style rifle as he spoke at an open-air campaign rally near Butler in Pensylvania on July 13 2024. One of the bullets clipped his ear and 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, the gunman, was shot and killed by the US Secret Service. 'This stuff is all about threat assessment. What is the threat? Is it a known threat? An unknown threat? Where do we set that level of what we've got to do?' the unnamed security expert added. 'And Americans, they don't take things lightly.'
The Standard
6 days ago
- The Standard
Man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump returns to court and hopes to represent himself
FILE - In this image released by the Martin County, Fla., Sheriff's Office, law enforcement officers arrest Ryan Wesley Routh, a man suspected in an apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump, Sept. 15, 2024. (Martin County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)
