Guilty verdict in Birmingham conspiracy case

Aimee Betro disguised in a niqab was convicted of conspiracy to murder in a planned attack in Yardley

Would-be niqab assassin found guilty of conspiracy to murder in Birmingham

A Birmingham Crown Court heard that Aimee Betro, 45, originally from the United States, traveled to the United Kingdom as part of a revenge plot against a feuding family. Wearing a niqab, she aimed a handgun at Sikander Ali outside his Yardley home on September 7, 2019, but the weapon jammed. Betro fled to the United States as the case against her co conspirators Mohammed Aslam and Mohammed Nazir progressed in court.

Betro has now been found guilty of conspiracy to murder and will be sentenced at a later date. The jury’s verdict follows a case that highlighted how personal feuds can escalate into violence across borders and how disguises can complicate investigations.

The verdict underscores the challenges of prosecuting crimes that involve disguises and international travel. It raises questions about how investigators connect a plan formed abroad with actions carried out in another country. It also points to the role of cooperation between jurisdictions in solving cross border violence.

The case invites a broader discussion about security and civil liberties when religious attire is involved in crime. It reminds us that fighting violence includes scrutiny of policing tactics and the way communities perceive safety in diverse neighborhoods.

Highlights

Accountability travels with the law, wherever the case begins