US ‘hijab hitwoman’ wanted over botched UK contract killing arrested in Armenia

A suspected hitwoman accused of using a hijab to disguise herself during a failed contract killing in the UK has been arrested while allegedly hiding out in Armenia.

Aimee Betro, 44, from Milwaukee in Wisconsin, is said to have been hired by British father and son Mohammed Aslam, 56, and Mohammed Nazir, 30, to murder boutique owner Sikander Ali.

But she fled after her weapon jammed when she tried to gun him down outside a house in Acocks Green, Birmingham, in September 2019, it is claimed, and had not been seen since.

Jurors at the city’s crown court, where Aslam and Nazir were later convicted of conspiracy to murder over the botched hit, were told Betro dressed in a hijab for the attack.

Betro, who has not been charged with any offence, is now believed to be in custody in the former Soviet republic awaiting extradition to the UK, MailOnline reports.

She is thought to have been working remotely at the $600-per-month secluded apartment inside a gated community, rarely venturing outside except for grocery shopping.

Neighbours said they were horrified to find out about the international arrest warrant out for her, telling the outlet they were only aware of her presence when she screamed at her cats.

Betro is said to have flown to the UK from the States to carry out the revenge killing for Aslam and Nazir, who had developed a grudge against business rivals Mr Ali and his father Aslat Mahamud.

The father and son’s trial was told Betro was in contact with them before the failed murder bid and had sent guns from Illinois.

Mr Mahamud also claimed to have received a phone call from a woman with an American accent asking about buying a Volkswagen Golf he had listed for sale.

In a statement about the botched shooting, his son recalled: ‘As I turned and looked I saw the driver’s door was already open and the person was moving towards me.

‘I could see this person had a gun in their hand. I felt scared. The person moved their arm towards me and pointed directly at me.

‘I panicked at this point. I immediately got back into the car and slammed the door shut.’

Birmingham Crown Court heard last month that Betro’s gun jammed when she aimed at Mr Ali’s head and pulled the trigger.

She allegedly returned to the address hours after the failed hit and fired three bullets through the windows, but fortunately nobody was hurt.

The would-be assassin returned to the US two days later, jurors were told.

Nazir flew out to the States a few days after that, putting her name down as his point of contact.

Social media posts suggest he may have stayed with her before returning to the UK a month later, when he and his father were arrested.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.