In a shocking case that reads like a movie script, a father and son have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for orchestrating a bungled plot to assassinate a Birmingham shop owner. Mohammed Nabil Nazir, 30, will serve 32 years behind bars, while his father, Mohammed Aslam, 58, was handed a 10-year sentence for their roles in the ill-fated revenge scheme.
The court heard how the duo allegedly recruited Aimee Betro, a US citizen from Wisconsin, to carry out the hit. Betro, who is currently imprisoned in Armenia awaiting extradition, is said to have donned a hijab as a disguise before attempting to gun down Mahumad’s son, Sikander Ali, on a South Yardley street in September 2019.
However, in a twist of fate, the firearm malfunctioned at the crucial moment, allowing Ali to escape unscathed. Investigators believe the intended target was actually Ali’s father, Aslat Mahumad, the owner of a boutique clothing shop on Alum Rock Road. According to sources close to the case, there was a history of “antagonism and resentment” between the two families, stemming from a violent altercation at Mahumad’s store in July 2018 that left Aslam with brain injuries and Nazir seriously hurt.
A Carefully Plotted Revenge
Judge Drew, who presided over the trial at Birmingham Crown Court, stated that the 2018 incident was the “motive and motivation” behind the “deliberate and planned” revenge attack. He emphasized that had the gun not jammed, the shooting “would have amounted to an execution.”
This was not a spontaneous reaction to events, but a planned revenge attack. It would be overstating the case to call what took place as a contract killing, but evidence suggests Betro was rewarded for taking part in this.
Judge Drew
The court was told that Betro had flown to the UK in August 2019 and made her way to Birmingham after a brief tour of England, partially funded by Nazir. The judge admonished the father-son duo, stating, “The two of you had done everything you could to encourage and enable Aimee Betro to kill a member of Mr Aslat’s family, whether that was Mr Aslat himself or one of his close relations.”
A Complex International Investigation
Unraveling the tangled web of this international plot was no easy feat for law enforcement. West Midlands Police described the investigation as “complex and protracted,” requiring “years of unravelling” to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Aslam and Nazir were determined to take revenge following a fallout where they were injured. The lengths they went to in trying to make sure they weren’t implicated in pulling the trigger are immense.
DI Matt Marston, West Midlands Police
Hannah Sidaway of the Crown Prosecution Service highlighted the “methodical and well-planned” nature of the attack, noting how Nazir and Aslam attempted to cover their tracks by using an accomplice. The successful prosecution was the result of a collaborative effort between West Midlands Police, Derbyshire Police, the CPS, and US authorities, involving the exchange of evidence and forensic samples from across the Atlantic.
A Lesson in the Consequences of Vengeance
As the father and son begin their lengthy prison sentences, this extraordinary case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that can arise from seeking revenge. It is a tale of international intrigue, family feuds, and a murder plot that almost succeeded, foiled only by a stroke of luck and the tireless efforts of dedicated investigators.
