Two men held for murder of German tourist 30 years ago

TWO men have been arrested by detectives investigating the murder of a German backpacker in Northern Ireland 30 years ago.

The body of Munich teenager Inga Maria Hauser was found dumped in a remote part of Ballypatrick Forest, outside Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, 14 days after she was last seen alive on a ferry from Scotland.

The 18-year-old’s death in April 1988 remains one of the region’s most high-profile unsolved murders.

The two suspects, aged 58 and 61, were held in the Loughguile area of Co. Antrim yesterday morning. The arrests come weeks after a muchpublicised series of appeals to mark the 30th anniversary of the murder.

In April, detectives said they believed a number of people may have been involved either directly in the murder or in the subsequent cover-up, and said they only need fractional pieces of evidence to bring the chief suspects to justice.

Police have a male genetic profile found at the murder scene. It is understood the IRA carried out its own probe into the killing 30 years ago. It is believed they had considered passing information about the alleged murderer to the RUC but did not follow through.

After yesterday’s arrests, PSNI Chief Superintendent Raymond Murray, renewed his appeal for information.

‘If there are any witnesses still out there with any further information which might help police then I would ask them to come forward,’ he said.

‘Failure to do so can be a criminal offence. It would be better to come to the police rather than take the risk we will come to you.’