Disguised in hijab, US woman came to Birmingham for contract killing

An American woman assassin's gun jammed during a contract killing attempt in Birmingham. Later, her identity was unmasked through social media posts and police investigations.

Aimee Betro, 44, was hired by Mohammed Nazir, 30, and Mohammed Aslam, 56, to kill Aslat Mahamud or his family after a 2018 jewellery store dispute, reported The Times. Betro flew from Chicago to Birmingham on 7 September 2019.

Disguised in a hijab, Betro met Sikander Ali, Mahamud’s son, under the pretence of buying a car. She approached Ali, aimed a gun at his head, and pulled the trigger, but it jammed. Ali fled, and Betro fired three shots at Mahamud’s house.

Nazir and Aslam, from Derby, were charged with conspiracy to murder and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Both denied the charges but were found guilty. Nazir faced additional convictions. They will be sentenced on 9 August.

The Times discovered Betro’s detailed social media posts from August to September 2019, chronicling her UK trip, including visiting her “partner in crime” and attending the Tranzmission Festival.

Betro returned to the US and remains at large. West Midlands police is tracing her. There is no evidence of her involvement in other contract killings.

Betro studied early childhood education and worked for the Milwaukee Brewers. She once advocated for free birth control in a local paper.

Prosecutor Kevin Hegarty KC described how Betro approached Ali with the gun. “Mercifully and luckily for him the gun jammed,” he said. Betro abandoned her car, took a taxi, and fired three shots at Mahamud’s house before leaving.

Police investigations identified Betro, who had stayed in various hotels and bought phones to contact Nazir and Mahamud. The households had a history of conflict, including previous attacks in 2018. Nazir planned a revenge attack with two guns and later attempted to fly to the US using Betro’s address. Nazir was arrested upon his return to the UK.