Editing HM Prison Maze (section)

===Breakouts and attempted breakouts===
{{See also|Maze Prison escape}}

On 25 September 1983, the Maze saw the biggest prison escape in British peacetime history. Thirty-eight prisoners hijacked a prison meals lorry and smashed their way out. During the breakout, four prison officers were stabbed, including one, James Ferris, who died of a heart attack. Another officer was shot in the head by [[Gerry Kelly]], and several other officers were injured by the escapees.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/25/newsid_2538000/2538295.stm |title=1983: Dozens escape in Maze break-out |work=[[BBC News]] |date=1983 |access-date=3 September 2008 |archive-date=23 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223002518/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/25/newsid_2538000/2538295.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Nineteen of the prisoners were soon recaptured, but the other nineteen escaped.

In March 1997, an IRA escape attempt was foiled when a {{convert|40|ft|m|abbr=on}} tunnel was found. The tunnel led from H-Block 7 and was {{convert|80|ft|m|abbr=on}} short of the perimeter wall.

In December 1997, IRA prisoner [[Liam Averill]] escaped dressed as a woman during a [[Christmas]] party for prisoners' children.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/696991.stm|title=Re-arrest escaped IRA killer|work=[[BBC News]]|date=31 March 2000|access-date=25 July 2010|archive-date=9 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090809183836/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/696991.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Averill, who was jailed for life after committing two murders, was not recaptured, and was instead given amnesty in early 2001 when he was one of a number of republican escapees to present themselves to the authorities in a two-week period.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1328098/Anger-as-fugitive-IRA-terrorists-are-given-their-freedom.html|title=Anger as fugitive IRA terrorists are given their freedom|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=28 March 2001|access-date=6 July 2011|archive-date=23 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123150805/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1328098/Anger-as-fugitive-IRA-terrorists-are-given-their-freedom.html|url-status=live}}</ref>