Three to serve up to 26 years in jail for the murder of Ayla Mintjes

Three men were convicted and sentenced to prison terms for shooting 27-year-old Ayla Mintjes on Maassluisstraat in Amsterdam Nieuw-West last May. One suspect will serve 26 years, another will spend 22 years incarcerated, and the third will be jailed for 20 years, the Amsterdam court said. Mintjes was shot while in a car with her boyfriend, Anis B., who was believed to be the intended target of an assassination attempt. Her life was ended in a "cold and calculated way," according to the judges.

Dozens of shell casings were found in the residential area. B. managed to survive the shooting.

According to the court, there is sufficient evidence that Samuel Y. (21), Jeremiah T. (22) and Renato F. (35) carried out the assassination attempt. Two of them opened fire with automatic weapons, the judges said, and F. was driving the getaway car. Burns were found on their bodies, which they suffered when setting fire to their getaway car, according to the verdict.

F. received the lengthiest sentence. He was arrested for various offenses since his youth. The two in their twenties were given a somewhat lower sentence, partly because of their young age. The lowest sentence was for T., who was seen as being less responsible for his actions. The Public Prosecution Service previously demanded sentences of 30 years against each of the three.

The court spoke harshly of the men for firing off dozens of rounds from two automatic weapons while it was still light outside. Bullet impacts were found in several cars and houses.

T. and F. claimed not to have been present at the murder during an earlier hearing, but the DNA from both men was found on items near the burned-out getaway car. Gunshot residue was also found on Y.'s pants. His yellow-tipped track pants were also totally scorched. Surveillance images show that one of the perpetrators of the arson was wearing similar pants.