Foul play suspected: Amsterdam police find body of Hajar, 29, missing since Oct. 4

The body of a woman found in the Amstel River along Amsteldijk was identified as the 29-year-old Amsterdammer missing since early October. Police said there was evidence that the woman, named Hajar, was killed as the result of foul play.

Authorities were contacted when her remains were discovered in the water at about 8:30 a.m. on Friday. "Upon arrival, officers determined that it involved a deceased person who had been killed in a crime," police in Amsterdam confirmed about 12 hours later. The woman was identified over the course of the afternoon.

Hajar was last seen on October 4 cycling with an unknown man, headed south from the RAI convention center in Amsterdam-Zuid. Police set up a meeting point for investigators and forensics workers less than two kilometers east of the RAI along the riverbank.

Her family reported her missing the following day out of "concern for her well-being," police said. However, her disappearance was not publicly disclosed for another eight days, as police said they also wanted to protect her privacy if she had fallen out of contact by choice.

It was not disclosed if the man cycling with her is considered a suspect in the case. "No clarity can yet be provided regarding the circumstances under which the woman was found, what exactly happened to her, nor regarding the location where she died," police said.

A spokesperson for the police department would not disclose whether the appeal Amsterdam police made on Tuesday led to any significant tips. The representative said it was not yet clear what information detectives were prepared to make public.

Authorities were still hoping to get in touch with anyone who has information about the case, or who saw Hajar riding her black woman's bicycle on October 4 with or without another individual. She was described as being between 1.65 and 1.70 meters tall with curly black hair and dark eyes. The weekend she went missing, she was wearing a tiger-print dress and white New Balance shoes, though she may have changed into another outfit at some point in time.

"The woman's family reported her missing to the police on October 5 out of concern for her well-being. Since then, the police have conducted an intensive investigation to find her, utilizing various technical and tactical investigative methods," police wrote in the update on Friday.

When criticized for delays in making the missing persons case public, police said earlier this week, "We know from experience that sharing a missing person’s photo and personal details online can have a major impact on someone.”

Writing on social media platform Instagram, police stated in a comment on their own post, "Actually, the reactions under this post already serve as a good explanation: people draw conclusions too quickly and make statements about the missing person without careful consideration. This can be deeply distressing, not only for the missing individual but also for everyone who cares about her or him."

Authorities said those with information can contact the police anonymously at 0800-7000 from a phone within the Netherlands, or +31 800 7000 from abroad. The regular tip line is 0800-6070, which can be reached from foreign phones by calling +31 79345 9800.