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Who is Aimee Betro? American woman convicted over failed assassination attempt of UK man

USA's Aimee Betro, who tried to kill a man at point-blank range in the UK, was on the run for nearly five years before she was extradited from Armenia.

Published on: Aug 13, 2025, 05:59:46 IST
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An American woman who tried to shoot a man in the UK at point-blank range was found guilty of conspiracy to murder. According to reports, Aimee Betro flew into the US and tried to shoot Sikander Ali. However, her gun jammed, which helped Ali flee the scene unharmed.

US woman Aimee Betro posing for a custody photograph in Birmingham. (AFP)
US woman Aimee Betro posing for a custody photograph in Birmingham. (AFP)

According to a BBC report, the incident occurred in 2019, and following this, Betro went into hiding for five years. The 45-year-old was extradited earlier this year from Armenia. She will be sentenced on August 21.

Also Read: US man accused of killing 12-year-old son with baseball bat, attempting to murder daughter

About the failed assassination:

Prosecutors told the court that Betro climbed out of a car in September 2019 with a niqab over her face, cited AFP. She then confronted Ali and tried to shoot him point-blank. However, when her gun jammed, Ali fled in a car that was parked outside his house.

A video of the confrontation went viral on social media in 2019 and has recently resurfaced after Betro’s trial.

Did Aimee Betro act alone?

According to AFP, Betro had two co-conspirators, 56-year-old Mohammed Aslam and his 31-year-old son Mohammed Nabil Nazir. Betro told the jury that she met Nazir online and fell in love with him.

The men were jailed last year. They were charged for their roles in a “violent” feud which started when they were injured in 2018 while at a clothing store which belonged to Ali’s father.

Also Read: Murder suspect beaten up by victim’s uncle in US court in viral video: ‘It was worth every moment’

"Betro tried to kill a man in a Birmingham street at point-blank range. It is sheer luck that he managed to get away unscathed," said prosecutor Hannah Sidaway to AFP.

"It was a fairly poor attempt [at disguise] and again, whether or not the attitude was that the British police wouldn't be up to it, I think she was fatally flawed, if that was ever the consideration in her mind," Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Orencas told the BBC.

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More