US woman Aimee Betro convicted over failed assassination in UK

US woman Aimee Betro convicted over failed assassination in UK

A woman from the US who was hired as a hitman and attempted to shoot a man in the UK at close range has been found guilty of conspiracy to murder. Aimee Betro, a would-be assassin from West Allis in Wisconsin, traveled to the UK as part of a scheme to target a British family in Birmingham in 2019, before evading authorities for nearly five years. The plot was allegedly fueled by a dispute between her accomplices and the intended victim’s family.

During the trial at Birmingham Crown Court, it was revealed that Betro concealed her identity under a niqab while attempting to shoot at Measham Grove, Yardley. However, her firearm malfunctioned, and the target, Sikander Ali, managed to escape unscathed. After almost 21 hours of deliberation, the jury found Betro guilty of conspiracy to murder, as well as possessing a self-loading pistol with the intent to instill fear of violence, and unlawfully importing ammunition.

Following her unsuccessful attempt, a CCTV footage captured Betro’s actions in Birmingham as she fled the scene. Despite spending several years in Armenia while on the run, Betro was eventually captured by authorities and extradited to stand trial. Her sentencing is scheduled for August 21st. Defense lawyer Paul Lewis KC opted not to request pre-sentence reports, stating they would not benefit the court, while Judge Simon Drew KC noted the importance of delivering closure to Betro.

Jurors learned during the trial that Betro had conspired with two men, Mohammed Nazir and Mohammed Aslam, as part of their vendetta against Birmingham businessman Aslat Mahumad. The motive for their revenge reportedly stemmed from injuries sustained by Nazir and Aslam during a disturbance at Mr. Mahumad’s clothing store in July 2018. The prosecutors argued that a plan was devised to eliminate Mr. Mahumad or a member of his family, with Betro being chosen for the task. Despite her pivotal role in the events, investigators indicated that Betro had little to no criminal history before becoming involved in the murder scheme

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