Killer found hiding wife via internet

26 March 2004

AMSTERDAM — The man who shot and killed his 32-year-old former wife in front of a home for battered women in a city north of Amsterdam earlier this month tracked her down via the internet, according to police.

The man found the woman’s address via the website of her health insurer, but police refused to reveal if the man possessed the necessary entry codes to her personal details or whether the website’s security was inadequate, news agency ANP reported.

“We will not confirm anything more than that an internet service was possibly helpful in tracing the woman. In the interests of the investigation we are not making any further announcements,” a police spokesman said on Thursday.

The woman, identified as Gül, was shot and killed in Koog aan de Zaan on 12 March. The woman was returning from a police station after lodging a report against her husband when she was killed.

The Shelter Federation (Federatie Opvang) reacted with shock the murder of the mother-of-three, who had moved from shelter to shelter in the past four months. It is alleged that her violent husband and his network tracked her down every time.

The killer reported to police and the federation has urged the Cabinet to take greater measures to ensure the safety of women in refuges. The latest killing is the third such death at a home for bettered women in 10 months.

The family of the Turkish man also threatened personnel and residents of the shelter, forcing its evacuation on the weekend after the shooting. Police had said at the time they could no longer guarantee safety at the home.

Meanwhile, health insurer Agis said it had “definitely” not displayed the woman’s address on its website. A spokeswoman said the man could only see a postbox number in Koog aan de Zaan and that these details were only accessible with a unique insurance number.

Agis has temporarily adjusted its website, on which policy holders could change their address or bank account number. Addresses have been hauled from the site, news agency nu.nl reported.

Moreover, it said it was amazed that police had publicly said the woman’s husband had used details found on its website and as inquiries continue, it is not yet 100 percent certain what role the website played in the murder. Police have since apologised to Agis, the health insurer’s spokeswoman said.

Subject: Dutch news