The Amsterdam court heard today that a 26-year-old woman is suspected of recruiting teenagers for violent attacks, including murder. Melissa P. faces charges in three separate cases involving young offenders.
Dutch Woman Accused of Directing Teenagers for Violence
A 26-year-old woman from Amsterdam is suspected of recruiting several young people to commit acts of extreme violence, including murder, according to the Dutch Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM). The allegations were presented during a first hearing in court.
In one case, Melissa P. allegedly drove a 13-year-old boy to Hamburg, Germany, in June to shoot someone. The target was reportedly a Hells Angels member, according to German media and Het Parool. The boy was arrested by police before the attack could happen. His mother had reported him missing, and police found a firearm and ammunition on him, which he had picked up in a restaurant shortly before.
The 13-year-old told police he was hired for 2,000 euros to give someone a “leg day,” a term for shooting someone in the leg. However, the OM suspects Melissa P. of preparing for murder.
Did You Know? The 13-year-old suspect had picked up the firearm and ammunition just before his arrest in a Hamburg restaurant.
Second Allegation: Wormerveer Shooting with Children Present
A month later, Melissa P. is also accused of directing a teenager to shoot a house in Wormerveer. The incident occurred in broad daylight while children were playing outside. The 18-year-old shooter reportedly texted, “But they’re not playing in front of the door,” to which, according to the OM, Melissa P. replied, “Okay, just go ahead.”
The shooter not only pierced the front door of the house but bullets also flew through a bunk bed and a mattress in a child’s bedroom. A 33-year-old man from Hilversum is suspected of supplying the weapon, a large assault rifle, and he also appeared in court today.
Third Case: Swedish Teenagers and an Amsterdam Hotel
The OM revealed that Melissa P. is involved in a third case. Two Swedish teenagers were arrested in an Amsterdam hotel in March after a security guard overheard the sound of a firearm being racked.
The pair had flown to the Netherlands to carry out a liquidation, the OM stated. According to the prosecution, Melissa P. arranged phones, cars, firearms, and clothing for this plot. She is also suspected of preparing for murder in this case.
Expert Insight: “The investigation shows how young people are approached for criminal assignments, but also how these assignments are carried out,” said the prosecutor today. “Often extremely clumsy, but precisely because of that, life-threatening. Young, untrained shooters are sent out with heavy weapons, with all the associated risks.”
Recruitment Tactics and Rising Concerns
“The investigation shows how young people are approached for criminal assignments, but also how these assignments are carried out,” said the prosecutor today. “Often extremely clumsy, but precisely because of that, life-threatening. Young, untrained shooters are sent out with heavy weapons, with all the associated risks.”
The recruitment of young people for criminal violence has long been a concern for the police, the OM, and support services. According to Keerpunt, an online help platform for young people involved in crime, cases regularly involve suspects as young as 13 or 14.
“It involves children being deployed for life-threatening assignments and bearing the greatest risks,” said team leader Sjoerd van Bemmel of Keerpunt. “They often have no idea what conflict they are getting into, while the clients remain out of sight.”
Keerpunt pointed to 4,500 attacks with explosives in recent years, with an average of one in three suspects being a minor. They are often recruited via social media. To better understand this recruitment process, researchers from various organizations have posed online as young people responding to criminal job offers.
“On one hand, you see that conversations are conducted very normally. It seems almost like a regular part-time job,” said Van Bemmel. “At the same time, you see tricks to lure young people over the line.
Recruiters promise a lot of money and act as if the job is very simple. The risks are downplayed enormously, and the time pressure is cranked up high. They also deliberately keep the assignment vague so you don’t know exactly what you have to do.”
Melissa P.’s Defense and Legal Status
The OM did not provide details on how the recruitment in the current case specifically took place. Melissa P. worked as a freelancer in the care sector and, according to various media reports, is the mother of two children. So far, she has refused to make a statement.
According to her lawyer, it is questionable whether the police obtained incriminating evidence from her phone legally. The police obtained her phone when P. filed a report of a serious sexual offense. Her lawyer claims she gave permission to retrieve certain data from her phone, but not to view all of its contents.
She remains in custody, along with her co-defendant.
Teens Recruited for Violence via Social Media
What is Melissa P. accused of?
Melissa P. is accused of recruiting teenagers to commit acts of extreme violence, including murder, in three separate cases. She allegedly directed a 13-year-old to commit a shooting in Hamburg and a teenager to shoot a house in Wormerveer.
How are young people being recruited for these crimes?
According to Keerpunt, young people are often recruited via social media. Recruiters use tactics like offering large sums of money, downplaying risks, and creating time pressure to lure them into carrying out violent assignments.
What is the legal status of the case?
Melissa P. and a co-defendant are currently in custody. A legal dispute is ongoing regarding the admissibility of evidence from her phone, which her lawyer questions was obtained legally.
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