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UK activist shooting: Israeli soldier held
An Israeli soldier has been arrested in connection with a shooting in the Gaza Strip in April that left British peace activist Tom Hurndall brain dead
The unnamed soldier had initially claimed that he returned fire at a man armed with a pistol, an army statement said.
"However, following an intensive investigation by the military police of the Southern Command, the soldier admitted to shooting in proximity to an unarmed civilian in order to deter him," it added.
Hurndall was hit in the head and critically wounded by sniper fire in the Rafah refugee camp on 11 April and was subsequently pronounced clinically dead.
He currently lies in a vegetative state at a London hospital.
Palestinian medics and eyewitnesses said Hurndall was trying to pull two Palestinian children out of danger when shots were fired from a nearby army watchtower.
But the army claimed at the time it had no knowledge of such shooting.
Hurndall was a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a group of pro-Palestinian activists who engage in non-violent action to protect civilians in the West Bank and Gaza.
Investigation continuing
The soldier appeared before the Southern Command's military court on Wednesday for an extension of his remand in custody. It was not immediately clear when he was arrested.
"At this stage, the criminal investigation of the incident is still continuing," the statement said.
Upon its completion, the findings of the investigation will be handed to the Military Advocate General for a decision regarding an indictment against the soldier."
The Israeli army announced in late October that it was opening an investigation into the shooting.
The ISM said at the time that it wanted an independent investigation, charging that one undertaken by the army "will not be impartial."
Speaking to Aljazeera.net at the time of her son's birthday last month, Jocelyn Hurndall said she wants "the Israeli soldiers responsible for harming Tom to know that they can't shoot people with impunity. We want to pave the way for Palestinian people to have some legal redress when they are shot and injured by the Israeli army just like my son was".
The family has hired a leading London-based human rights lawyer, Imran Khan, to represent Tom.
Tom's mother also told Aljazeera.net that his family has little confidence in the probe and have taken matters into their own hands by personally investigating Tom's shooting.
Similar incidents
British diplomats have been informed of the latest developments in the investigation.
Several ISM activists have been wounded by the army in the course of the intifada, or Palestinian uprising.
An army investigation into the death of 23-year-old US national and ISM activist Rachel Corrie concluded that her being crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer in Rafah last March had been an "accident".
It said it would not take any disciplinary action against the soldiers involved.
Corrie had been trying to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home.
In both Hurndall's and Corrie's cases, witnesses were adamant they had been easily identifiable as they were wearing fluorescent orange jackets.
Aljazeera + Agencies
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A11D4B4C-4E69-47FB-BBF6-964790254465.htm
"However, following an intensive investigation by the military police of the Southern Command, the soldier admitted to shooting in proximity to an unarmed civilian in order to deter him," it added.
Hurndall was hit in the head and critically wounded by sniper fire in the Rafah refugee camp on 11 April and was subsequently pronounced clinically dead.
He currently lies in a vegetative state at a London hospital.
Palestinian medics and eyewitnesses said Hurndall was trying to pull two Palestinian children out of danger when shots were fired from a nearby army watchtower.
But the army claimed at the time it had no knowledge of such shooting.
Hurndall was a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a group of pro-Palestinian activists who engage in non-violent action to protect civilians in the West Bank and Gaza.
Investigation continuing
The soldier appeared before the Southern Command's military court on Wednesday for an extension of his remand in custody. It was not immediately clear when he was arrested.
"At this stage, the criminal investigation of the incident is still continuing," the statement said.
Upon its completion, the findings of the investigation will be handed to the Military Advocate General for a decision regarding an indictment against the soldier."
The Israeli army announced in late October that it was opening an investigation into the shooting.
The ISM said at the time that it wanted an independent investigation, charging that one undertaken by the army "will not be impartial."
Speaking to Aljazeera.net at the time of her son's birthday last month, Jocelyn Hurndall said she wants "the Israeli soldiers responsible for harming Tom to know that they can't shoot people with impunity. We want to pave the way for Palestinian people to have some legal redress when they are shot and injured by the Israeli army just like my son was".
The family has hired a leading London-based human rights lawyer, Imran Khan, to represent Tom.
Tom's mother also told Aljazeera.net that his family has little confidence in the probe and have taken matters into their own hands by personally investigating Tom's shooting.
Similar incidents
British diplomats have been informed of the latest developments in the investigation.
Several ISM activists have been wounded by the army in the course of the intifada, or Palestinian uprising.
An army investigation into the death of 23-year-old US national and ISM activist Rachel Corrie concluded that her being crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer in Rafah last March had been an "accident".
It said it would not take any disciplinary action against the soldiers involved.
Corrie had been trying to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home.
In both Hurndall's and Corrie's cases, witnesses were adamant they had been easily identifiable as they were wearing fluorescent orange jackets.
Aljazeera + Agencies
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A11D4B4C-4E69-47FB-BBF6-964790254465.htm
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Israeli soldier arrested over 'sniper' shooting of unarmed British peace protester
By Justin Huggler in Jerusalem
01 January 2004
An Israeli soldier has been arrested in connection with shooting the unarmed British peace protester Thomas Hurndall in the head, the Israeli army said yesterday.
The incident in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, last April, left Mr Hurndall clinically dead. The 22-year-old, who is being kept alive in a London hospital, was trying to help Palestinian children who were trapped under fire to safety when he was shot, witnesses said.
This is the first success for Mr Hurndall's parents' campaign for those responsible to be brought to justice. The Israeli army said the unnamed soldier had claimed he fired at a man holding a pistol, but that he had been remanded in custody after he "admitted to firing in proximity to an unarmed civilian as a deterrent".
"I'm glad this statement of truth has at least come out as a first step," Mr Hurndall's mother, Jocelyn, said. "They have finally uncovered the facts which have led them to seriously question the legitimacy of the soldier's original statement ... No one could possibly believe that he shot Tom, who was unarmed, through the forehead, as a warning."
Mr Hurndall, a photography student, was in the Gaza Strip with the International Solidarity Movement, a peace movement whose unarmed volunteers live with Palestinians in some of the most dangerous parts of the Occupied Territories, often acting as human shields.
Mr Hurndall saw that Palestinian children had become trapped when an Israeli sniper began firing into the street where they were playing, eyewitnesses said. Twice he crossed the line of fire to escort children to safety. The second time he was shot in the head.
His parents travelled to the Gaza Strip to make their own investigation. Despite the arrest of the soldier, Mrs Hurndall said she did "remain sceptical" about the prospects of justice. Mr Hurndall was one of several unarmed civilians who have been killed or seriously wounded by the Israeli army in recent years. UN workers accused the Israeli army of attempting a cover-up after Iain Hook, an unarmed UN worker in Jenin, was killed in November 2002.
There had been other incidents in Rafah. Rachel Corrie, an American ISM volunteer, was crushed to death by an Israeli army bulldozer a month before Mr Hurndall was shot.And a month after, James Miller, a British TV cameraman, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=477278
By Justin Huggler in Jerusalem
01 January 2004
An Israeli soldier has been arrested in connection with shooting the unarmed British peace protester Thomas Hurndall in the head, the Israeli army said yesterday.
The incident in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, last April, left Mr Hurndall clinically dead. The 22-year-old, who is being kept alive in a London hospital, was trying to help Palestinian children who were trapped under fire to safety when he was shot, witnesses said.
This is the first success for Mr Hurndall's parents' campaign for those responsible to be brought to justice. The Israeli army said the unnamed soldier had claimed he fired at a man holding a pistol, but that he had been remanded in custody after he "admitted to firing in proximity to an unarmed civilian as a deterrent".
"I'm glad this statement of truth has at least come out as a first step," Mr Hurndall's mother, Jocelyn, said. "They have finally uncovered the facts which have led them to seriously question the legitimacy of the soldier's original statement ... No one could possibly believe that he shot Tom, who was unarmed, through the forehead, as a warning."
Mr Hurndall, a photography student, was in the Gaza Strip with the International Solidarity Movement, a peace movement whose unarmed volunteers live with Palestinians in some of the most dangerous parts of the Occupied Territories, often acting as human shields.
Mr Hurndall saw that Palestinian children had become trapped when an Israeli sniper began firing into the street where they were playing, eyewitnesses said. Twice he crossed the line of fire to escort children to safety. The second time he was shot in the head.
His parents travelled to the Gaza Strip to make their own investigation. Despite the arrest of the soldier, Mrs Hurndall said she did "remain sceptical" about the prospects of justice. Mr Hurndall was one of several unarmed civilians who have been killed or seriously wounded by the Israeli army in recent years. UN workers accused the Israeli army of attempting a cover-up after Iain Hook, an unarmed UN worker in Jenin, was killed in November 2002.
There had been other incidents in Rafah. Rachel Corrie, an American ISM volunteer, was crushed to death by an Israeli army bulldozer a month before Mr Hurndall was shot.And a month after, James Miller, a British TV cameraman, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=477278
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