Suspect convicted in teen girl’s abduction, forced marriage

A 39-year-old Amsterdam man accused of kidnapping a 16-year-old girl and forcing her to marry him convicted on Thursday. He was sentenced to two years in prison, according to news wire ANP.

The man was acquitted of terrorism related charges, and planning a trip to war-torn Syria.

The teenaged girl is from the small Noord-Brabant village of Heesch. She was missing for several weeks spanning July and August in 2016.

Marlon G. stood accused of abducting the woman, taking her to Antwerp, Belgium, and marrying her at a mosque there. She was moved from location to location in Antwerp, where prosecutors say the suspect held her against her will, and abused her.

Prosecutors maintained that G. threatened the girl, telling her they would abscond to Syria and join a jihadist movement.

There was no proof he was actually intending to travel to Syria, the court ruled.