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Humor and Quirks
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Humor and Quirks
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Wis. Hitwoman Who Traveled Overseas to Kill Delivered Chilling Message to Target's Dad

Wisconsin Woman Accused of Being International Hitwoman in Botched UK Assassination Plot

In a case that reads like a thriller novel, a 44-year-old woman from Wisconsin has been thrust into the spotlight as an alleged international hitwoman. Aimee Lynn Betro, originally from the small town of Shawano, Wisconsin, is accused of traveling overseas to carry out a brazen assassination attempt in Birmingham, England, back in 2019. The plot, which involved disguises, a jammed gun, a car chase, and even a bomb threat, ultimately failed, but it has now led to her arrest and extradition proceedings that span continents. Authorities claim Betro was hired by a father-son duo in the UK seeking revenge over a petty clothing store dispute, highlighting how seemingly minor grudges can escalate into deadly international conspiracies.

The story begins in the bustling streets of Acocks Green, a suburb of Birmingham, where Sikander Ali ran a boutique clothing store. According to court documents and police reports, Ali had become embroiled in a heated rivalry with Mohammed Aslam, 56, and his son Mohammed Nazir, 30, who operated a competing shop nearby. The feud reportedly stemmed from a 2018 altercation at a clothing fair, where violence erupted, leaving Aslam with a broken arm. Enraged and seeking retribution, the father and son allegedly turned to the dark web or underground networks to hire a contract killer. That's where Betro enters the picture. Prosecutors allege that she was recruited for the job, flying from the United States to the UK in September 2019 with the explicit mission to eliminate Ali.

Betro's arrival in England was anything but low-key. Disguising herself in a traditional hijab to blend into the multicultural neighborhood, she reportedly rented a Peugeot vehicle and staked out Ali's boutique, Aston's Clothing and Accessories. On the evening of September 7, 2019, she allegedly approached Ali as he sat in his Mercedes outside the store. Pulling out a handgun, she aimed and fired—but the weapon jammed, sparing Ali's life in a stroke of sheer luck. Panicking but undeterred, Betro fled the scene, only to return three days later in a desperate escalation. This time, she attempted to run Ali over with her rental car, smashing into his vehicle in a high-speed collision that could have been fatal. Miraculously, Ali escaped unharmed again, though the incident left him terrified and his car damaged.

The plot thickened further when, just days after the failed hit-and-run, a bomb threat was called into a local school attended by the child of one of Ali's associates. Investigators believe this was another tactic by Betro to intimidate or distract from the main target. Phone records and witness accounts later linked these events back to her, painting a picture of a calculated but clumsy operation. Betro reportedly communicated with her handlers via encrypted apps, receiving instructions and payments that totaled around £5,000 (approximately $6,300 USD at the time). After the botched attempts, she hastily fled the UK, returning to the United States where she seemingly vanished into obscurity—until now.

For years, the case remained unsolved, with UK police piecing together clues from CCTV footage, rental car records, and international flight manifests. Betro's name surfaced as a key suspect, but she evaded capture by relocating frequently. Her life in Wisconsin had been unremarkable on the surface: born and raised in Shawano, a quiet community of about 9,000 people known for its rural charm and proximity to Green Bay, Betro had no prior criminal record that would suggest a turn to contract killing. Friends and neighbors described her as an ordinary woman, perhaps struggling with personal issues, but nothing hinted at involvement in such a sinister plot. Some reports suggest she may have been drawn into the underworld through online connections or financial desperation, though motives remain speculative.

The breakthrough came in 2023 when Betro was arrested in Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region, far from both Wisconsin and Birmingham. Armenian authorities, acting on an international warrant from the UK, detained her in the capital city of Yerevan. She was subsequently extradited to the United Kingdom, where she now faces serious charges including attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Meanwhile, Aslam and Nazir were tried and convicted in a Birmingham court earlier this year for their roles in orchestrating the plot. Nazir received a 20-year sentence, while Aslam was given 15 years, with the judge condemning their "cowardly" actions that endangered innocent lives.

The case has raised eyebrows about the ease of hiring hitmen across borders in the digital age. Experts point to the proliferation of dark web marketplaces where such services are advertised, often for shockingly low fees. "This isn't the stuff of movies anymore," noted one criminologist familiar with the case. "Ordinary people with grudges can now outsource violence internationally, and it takes sophisticated policing to unravel these networks." For Ali, the ordeal has been life-altering; he has since closed his boutique and lives in fear, constantly looking over his shoulder.

Betro's legal battle is just beginning. Extradited to the UK, she appeared in a Birmingham court via video link from prison, where she pleaded not guilty to all charges. Her defense team argues that the evidence is circumstantial, relying heavily on digital trails that could be misinterpreted. Prosecutors, however, are confident, citing phone data that places her at the scenes and messages linking her to the plotters. If convicted, Betro could face life imprisonment, a stark contrast to her Midwestern roots.

This international saga underscores broader issues in global crimefighting, from extradition treaties to the challenges of tracking fugitives who hop continents. It also serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unresolved disputes escalating into violence. As the trial unfolds, more details are expected to emerge about how a woman from Wisconsin's heartland became entangled in a deadly game of revenge on foreign soil. For now, Betro remains behind bars, her fate hanging in the balance as justice systems on both sides of the Atlantic collaborate to close the chapter on this failed assassination. (Word count: 928)

Read the Full People Article at:
[ https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/wis-hitwoman-traveled-overseas-kill-201548465.html ]