Nine men sentenced to more than 100 years in prison in case involving three foiled attempted murders on Amager

Nine men aged between 18 and 33 have been sentenced by the Copenhagen City Court to a combined total of more than 100 years in prison for their roles in three planned attempted murders linked to the gang environment on Amager.

According to the judgment, hired gunmen who had travelled to Denmark were recruited to carry out fatal shootings targeting members of a gang based in Holmbladsgade. None of the attacks were carried out, however, as the Copenhagen Police intervened and arrested those involved.

The first case began on 9 July 2024, when two men travelled from Sweden to Copenhagen with the intention of committing a murder. During their stay, they were, according to the court, assisted by accomplices who provided transportation, accommodation, food and weapons. The two men were arrested on 10 July at an apartment hotel on Amager.

On the same day, a 21-year-old Swedish citizen arrived and was, according to the court, supposed to carry out another attack against the same gang. He was accommodated in an apartment and was handed a pistol two days later, but was arrested only a few hours afterwards.

On 2 December 2024, an Iraqi citizen travelled from Germany to Denmark with the intention of carrying out another murder targeting the same gang. According to the court, he never received a weapon, partly because problems arose with his accommodation. He was arrested on 6 December.

The four men who, according to the court, were to have carried out the murders were sentenced to between seven and ten years in prison and were also permanently expelled from Denmark.

A further five defendants were convicted of assisting with, among other things, instructions, logistics and weapons.

The harshest sentence was imposed on an 18-year-old Danish citizen with ties to a gang. He was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison for playing a leading role in all three attempted murders. He was also convicted of planning and coordinating the bombing of a shop in Copenhagen using a pipe bomb. This attack was not carried out either, as the perpetrator assigned to execute it was arrested.

“The judgment establishes that this was an organised network in which each of those convicted had clearly defined roles aimed at carrying out murders within the gang environment. I am therefore satisfied that the court has imposed lengthy prison sentences on all of them,” said prosecutor Esra Ceran, who prosecuted the case together with her colleague Ulrik Sommer.

The court increased several of the sentences under the so-called gang provision because the attempted murders were deemed capable of triggering a conflict within the gang environment.

A tenth defendant, a 22-year-old man, was acquitted of the majority of the charges against him. However, he was sentenced to 60 days in prison for possession of cannabis and pepper spray.

Several of those convicted appealed the judgment immediately, while others requested time to consider whether to appeal.

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