Killing of Heidi Hazell
Heidi Hazell | |
---|---|
Born | Heidi Schnaars 24 September 1962 |
Died | 7 September 1989 | (aged 26)
Cause of death | Multiple gunshot wounds |
Nationality | German |
Known for | Victim of Provisional Irish Republican Army assassination |
Heidi Hazell (24 September 1962 – 7 September 1989
Background
Heidi Hazell was born in Worpswede, West Germany, as Heidi Schnaars.[citation needed] In 1986, she married a British soldier stationed in the country.[citation needed] On 7 September 1989, in Unna near Dortmund, Hazell was sitting in the family car at her home. The car was approached by a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in British Army battle dress, who opened fire with a Kalashnikov automatic weapon, shooting her over a dozen times. The gunman got into a car driven by another person and drove away.[4]
In a statement released in Dublin the following day, the IRA said:
An IRA
Active Service Unit carried out last night's shooting in West Germany. The woman killed was believed to have been a member of the British Crown Forces garrisoned in Dortmund. It has now emerged that she was the German wife of a British Army staff sergeant. As we intend continuing our campaign until the British Army withdraws from Ireland, the outcome of last night's attack reinforces a warning we gave on 2 August 1988, for civilians to stay well clear of British military personnel. This warning applies to the use of vehicles personally belonging to British soldiers and all modes of military transport.
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams responded to civilians that had been recently killed by the IRA, such as Hazell, husband and wife James and Ellen Sefton, Islania Niurati the six-month-old child of a British soldier in Germany, and teenager Terry Love, saying:
There can be no doubt where Sinn Fein stands on actions which lead to the deaths of civilians or injuries to civilians. I don't want to see anyone killed, much less a 19-year-old soldier, an Australian citizen or an Irish citizen, but there is a conflict. There is a war going on. People join armies to fight.[citation needed]
Campaign of Melanie Anan
Melanie Anan, the niece of Hazell, started campaigning for justice, she inquired with witnesses and spoke to the
On 16 March 2015, Anan wrote an open letter to
Reopening of investigation into murder
This section needs to be updated.(September 2020) |
The
See also
- Chronology of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions (1980–89)
- Killings of Nick Spanos and Stephen Melrose
- List of unsolved murders
- Osnabrück mortar attack
References
- ^ "Heidi Hazell - Murder Victim of the IRA". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "Niece of German IRA victim to speak at Stormont", News Letter, 8 March 2015. Retrieved on 23 November 2016.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- AP News, 8 September 1989. Retrieved on 9 April 2015.
- ^ "Niece cries out for justice for German woman killed by IRA", Belfast Telegraph, 9 March 2015. Retrieved on 20 April 2016.
- ^ "Justice has failed me, says woman who survived deadly UVF ambush", Belfast Telegraph, 10 March 2015. Retrieved on 20 April 2016.
- ^ "Niece of German IRA victim pleads with Barack Obama to keep distance from Sinn Fein", Belfast Telegraph, 18 March 2015. Retrieved on 20 April 2016.
- ^ "Gerry Adams expresses anger after being denied entry to White House", The Guardian, 16 March 2015. Retrieved on 20 April 2016.
- ^ Murder inquiry reopens "Murder inquiry reopens", BBC News, UK, 8 April 2015. Retrieved on 9 April 2015.
External links
- "Heidi Hazell: Germany 1989 IRA murder inquiry reopens". BBC News. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- "German authorities reopen probe into 1989 IRA murder". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- Kate Connolly. "Family of murdered British army wife still seeking justice, 25 years on | UK news". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- "British Soldier's Wife Killed in Attack Claimed by IRA". Apnewsarchive.com. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- Ferdinand Protzman (9 September 1989). "I.R.A. Gunman Kills Wife Of A Briton". The New York Times. West Germany; Ireland, Northern. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- "Woman's Killing a Mistake, IRA Says". Articles.latimes.com. 9 September 1989. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- "Thatcher attacks IRA's evil cowards who shot Army wife 'Psychopathic killer on the loose' (From HeraldScotland)". Heraldscotland.com. Retrieved 23 November 2016.