Revealed: How a bloody bridal boutique brawl 'over the price of a suit' led to US 'hitwoman' trying to gun down shop keeper in failed transatlantic assassination plot
After Aimee Betro was found guilty of trying to shoot a man at point blank range outside his house in Birmingham, the bizarre feud which lies behind the transatlantic murder plot can be told in full for the first time.
Betro, 45, travelled from Milwaukee to the Midlands and lay in wait for Sikander Ali, 33, emerging from a Mercedes disguised in a niqab or a burka and opening fire.
Mr Ali escaped when the gun jammed but undeterred Betro returned in the early hours of the following day to fire three bullets through the windows of his family home on September 8, 2019.
Police said it was only by chance no one was killed.
Her trial heard she was acting on behalf of Nabil Mohammed Nazir, 31, who she met on a dating site, and his father Mohammed Aslam, 57, from Derby, who wanted to take revenge on Mr Ali's family.
But the Daily Mail can reveal a mass brawl at an Asian clothes shop owned by Mr Ali's father was behind the failed hit.
In July 2018, Nazir and his father had travelled to Birmingham to buy clothes at Seher wedding shop.
A row broke out when they complained about the quality and price of a wedding suit they believed was in a sale.
The violent brawl which ensued left the shop covered in blood and several people injured.
Footage shows the rivals attacking each other with sticks and screaming abuse.
One woman, who appeared to be holding a blade, can be seen slashing at saris hanging on rails as clothes and mannequins are sent flying.
Two men armed with poles smash lighting and ceiling panels before repeatedly beating a man.
Pictures of the aftermath show smashed glass and clothes strewn all over the floor of the store in Alum Rock.
A police forensic tent covered the front of the shop for days afterwards.
Nazir and his father were both injured, the older man seriously, suffering a brain injury which affected his decision-making and memory. Shop owner Aslat Mahumad was also hurt.
But Nazir and his father were so angered by the brawl they set out plotting murderous revenge, recruiting 'besotted' Betro to help with their plans.
Police said they were hell bent on killing the owner of the Birmingham store or one of his family over the incident.
It was Mr Mahumad's son Sikander Ali that Betro tried to kill outside the family home in Measham Grove - where she later fired bullets indiscriminately when the initial plan failed.
The court heard Betro had tried to lure Mr Mahumad by pretending to be interested in a car he was selling.
When that failed, she drove to the family home and opened fire, fleeing to the US and then on to Armenia after the shooting.
Nazir and his father were jailed for last year. Nazir was found guilty of conspiracy to murder, possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and handed a 32-year jail term while Aslam was found guilty of conspiracy to murder and jailed for 10 years.
Betro, meanwhile, remained on the run for five years until she was tracked down by the Daily Mail.
She was arrested in Armenia by officers acting on a tip off from reporters and bought back to the UK.
She denied conspiracy to murder denies three charges of conspiracy to murder, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and a charge related to the alleged importation of ammunition into the UK.
However, she was found guilty on Tuesday following a three-week trial.
Jurors deliberated for almost 21 hours before convicting Aimee Betro of conspiracy to murder, possessing a self-loading pistol with intent to cause fear of violence, and a charge of illegally importing ammunition.
Betro, wearing a purple T-shirt and with her hair in space buns, showed no obvious reaction and stared towards the jury bench as the verdicts were returned.
She was found guilty by majority 11-1 verdicts on the conspiracy to murder and firearm charges, and by a unanimous verdict on the ammunition charge.
Betro will be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court next Thursday, August 21.
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