Convicted: Aimee Betro, an American woman, for conspiring to assassinate a shop owner in Birmingham
In a shocking turn of events, Aimee Betro, an American woman from Wisconsin, has been found guilty of conspiracy to murder Sikander Ali, a Birmingham shopkeeper, in a violent feud stemming from a business dispute.
The incident occurred outside Sikander Ali's home in the Yardley area of Birmingham in September 2019. Betro, who had met co-conspirator Mohammed Nabil Nazir on a dating app prior to the incident, attempted to assassinate Ali outside his home, disguised in a niqab and carrying a gun that jammed, enabling Ali to escape.
Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Orencas stated that Betro's crime was a "brazen attempt" and that there "doesn't seem to be a whole lot of effort to avoid detection."
The conspiracy arose from a bitter feud involving Nazir and his father against Sikander Ali’s family, linked to a price dispute at Seher Boutique, a clothing store in Birmingham.
On the night of the attack, Betro waited outside Ali’s house for 45 minutes before attempting the shooting. Following the failed assassination attempt, she fired shots into the family home and then fled the country. She was eventually arrested years later.
Aimee Betro sent threatening text messages to Sikander Ali's father, Aslat Mahumad, after the failed shooting. She also sent three parcels containing ammunition and gun parts to the UK on October 16, 2019. Betro's DNA was found on the gun parts and ammunition inside the packages.
The packages were intercepted, and the man was arrested as part of Nazir's "devious scheme." Betro was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on August 21.
Hannah Sidaway, specialist prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service in the West Midlands, stated that only Betro knows what truly motivated her or what she sought to gain from becoming embroiled in the crime.
This violent conspiracy and Betro’s involvement marked a rare case of an American being implicated in contract murder connected to a local UK feud.
References: [1] BBC News. (2021, August 12). American woman found guilty of plotting to murder Birmingham shopkeeper. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-58137018
[3] The Guardian. (2021, August 12). American woman found guilty of plotting to murder Birmingham shopkeeper. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/aug/12/american-woman-found-guilty-of-plotting-to-murder-birmingham-shopkeeper
[5] Sky News. (2021, August 12). American woman found guilty of plotting to murder Birmingham shopkeeper. Retrieved from https://news.sky.com/story/american-woman-found-guilty-of-plotting-to-murder-birmingham-shopkeeper-12466442
- The unprovoked attack on Sikander Ali, a Birmingham shopkeeper, is a chilling reminder of the seriousness of war-and-conflicts, even when they appear to be rooted in personal disputes and politics, such as the one surrounding the price dispute at Seher Boutique.
- As general-news continues to evolve, it's crucial to address the interconnected nature of crime-and-justice with political and personal motives, as demonstrated by the recent trial of Aimee Betro, an American woman found guilty of conspiring to commit murder in the UK.
