A US hitwoman UK murder plot has ended in conviction after American national Aimee Betro was found guilty of conspiracy to murder in connection with a failed assassination attempt in Birmingham.
Betro, 44, from West Allis, Wisconsin, travelled to the UK in 2019 as part of a plan to target a British family in Yardley. Disguised in a niqab, she approached Sikander Ali at point-blank range on Measham Grove — but her gun jammed, allowing him to escape unharmed.
The attack was linked to a vendetta involving her co-conspirators, Mohammed Nazir and Mohammed Aslam, who sought revenge against Birmingham businessman Aslat Mahumad after a violent incident at his clothing store in 2018.
Conviction After Nearly Five Years on the Run
Betro went on the run for almost five years, spending much of that time hiding in Armenia before being tracked down by UK authorities with assistance from a Daily Mail investigation. She was extradited to Britain to face trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
Jurors deliberated for nearly 21 hours before convicting her of:
• Conspiracy to murder (majority 11–1)
• Possessing a self-loading pistol with intent to cause fear of violence (majority 11–1)
• Illegally importing ammunition (unanimous verdict)
Police: Pistol Malfunction Saved Victim’s Life
Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Orencas said only a gun malfunction or defective bullet prevented the killing. He also criticised Betro’s “poor disguise,” noting that her footwear and phone activity remained unchanged and CCTV cameras clearly placed her at the scene.
He praised the Daily Mail’s role in locating her hideout:
“There were parallel inquiries, but without a doubt, the Daily Mail were of great assistance.”
‘Sheer Luck’ Saved the Target
Hannah Sidaway of the Crown Prosecution Service said it was “sheer luck” that Mr Ali survived the shooting attempt. She added that Betro’s true motive remains unclear, given she travelled from Wisconsin to attack a man she had never met.
Defence barrister Paul Lewis KC declined to request pre-sentence reports, and Judge Simon Drew KC confirmed Betro will be sentenced on 21 August.
Despite her role in the attempted killing, records suggest Betro had virtually no prior criminal history before this plot.
Her conviction follows the 2024 jailing of Nazir, 31, and Aslam, 59, both from Derby, who were found guilty of the same conspiracy.
