Netherlands issues arrest warrant for Nazi-era war criminal in Germany

[News_Editor]

Netherlands issues arrest warrant for Nazi-era war criminal in Germany

2010-11-26 08:52:10 GMT+7 (ICT)

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (BNO NEWS) -- The Netherlands on Thursday asked Germany to arrest Nazi-era war criminal and former SS soldier Klaas-Carel Faber, who is now subject of a European-wide arrest warrant.

Faber, 88, of Haarlem, the Netherlands, is accused of having executed at least 22 Jews.

After the war, a Dutch court sentenced Faber to death in 1947, but it was later reduced to life in prison. However, in 1952, he was able to escape from a prison in the Dutch city of Breda. After fleeing to Germany, where he still lives, Faber adopted German citizenship.

As a result, Faber has avoided being deported since Germany does not extradite nationals.

Since April 2008, victims' family members have urged German authorities to deport him, and in 2009, Faber was named in Simon Weisenthal center's list of most wanted war criminals.

"We call on the German authorities to arrest Faber immediately so that he gets his much deserved punishment," said Weisenthal's director, Efraim Zuroff on Thursday.

"The fact that this murderer of so many innocent people has been protected by Germany for decades is absurd and sends out the message that even somebody who has committed numerous murders can get away with it," he added.

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