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| Estonian war figure laid to rest | Estonian war figure laid to rest |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Arnold Meri, a Soviet war hero put on trial in his native Estonia over his role in Stalin-era deportations, has been buried in Tallinn. | Arnold Meri, a Soviet war hero put on trial in his native Estonia over his role in Stalin-era deportations, has been buried in Tallinn. |
| Mr Meri, who suffered from ill-health, died on Friday at the age of 89 while judicial proceedings against him were still in progress. | Mr Meri, who suffered from ill-health, died on Friday at the age of 89 while judicial proceedings against him were still in progress. |
| He denied the charge of "genocide" but admitted playing a part in the deportation of 251 civilians in 1949. | He denied the charge of "genocide" but admitted playing a part in the deportation of 251 civilians in 1949. |
| Estonia's contention that genocide took place is not widely accepted. | Estonia's contention that genocide took place is not widely accepted. |
| He was the last surviving Estonian to have been awarded the USSR's top military decoration in World War II, the Gold Star, and a cousin of Estonia's first post-independence president, the late Lennart Meri. | |
| Arnold Meri had argued that the charges brought against him in August 2007 were politically motivated because of his opposition to the government and his involvement in anti-fascist work. | Arnold Meri had argued that the charges brought against him in August 2007 were politically motivated because of his opposition to the government and his involvement in anti-fascist work. |
| Russia, long locked in a dispute with Estonia over the Soviet legacy, awarded him its Order of Honour posthumously within hours of his death. | Russia, long locked in a dispute with Estonia over the Soviet legacy, awarded him its Order of Honour posthumously within hours of his death. |
| 'Not genocide' | 'Not genocide' |
| He was laid to rest on Wednesday in a cemetery on the outskirts of the Estonian capital where members of his immediate family are also buried. | He was laid to rest on Wednesday in a cemetery on the outskirts of the Estonian capital where members of his immediate family are also buried. |
| Every Estonian had only one decision to make: whose side to take in that bloody fight - the Nazis' or the anti-Hitler coalition's Arnold Meriinterviewed by BBC News in 2007 about his war years When giants fought in Estonia | Every Estonian had only one decision to make: whose side to take in that bloody fight - the Nazis' or the anti-Hitler coalition's Arnold Meriinterviewed by BBC News in 2007 about his war years When giants fought in Estonia |
| Several hundred people are said to have attended the funeral, which was conducted without military trappings. | Several hundred people are said to have attended the funeral, which was conducted without military trappings. |
| Mr Meri's trial had been halted because of the state of his health but a review of the medical findings was ordered in December. | Mr Meri's trial had been halted because of the state of his health but a review of the medical findings was ordered in December. |
| Estonia's security police say more than 40 of those deported from the island of Hiiumaa in 1949 either died on the way to, or in, Siberian camps. | Estonia's security police say more than 40 of those deported from the island of Hiiumaa in 1949 either died on the way to, or in, Siberian camps. |
| Wounded in combat as a Soviet soldier early in the war, Mr Meri served as an official in Estonia after the country was re-annexed by the Soviets, who drove out Nazi forces. | Wounded in combat as a Soviet soldier early in the war, Mr Meri served as an official in Estonia after the country was re-annexed by the Soviets, who drove out Nazi forces. |
| He admitted being involved in deportations as a Soviet functionary but told his trial: "I do not consider myself guilty of genocide." | He admitted being involved in deportations as a Soviet functionary but told his trial: "I do not consider myself guilty of genocide." |
| Since winning independence from the USSR in 1991, Estonia has been gradually attempting to prosecute those who helped in the deportation of more than 20,000 Estonians to Siberian camps. | Since winning independence from the USSR in 1991, Estonia has been gradually attempting to prosecute those who helped in the deportation of more than 20,000 Estonians to Siberian camps. |
| Estonia has been accused, in turn, of failing to prosecute adequately suspected war criminals who sided with the Nazis. | Estonia has been accused, in turn, of failing to prosecute adequately suspected war criminals who sided with the Nazis. |
| Interviewed by BBC News in May 2007 about his wartime experiences, Arnold Meri said: "Every Estonian had only one decision to make: whose side to take in that bloody fight - the Nazis' or the anti-Hitler coalition's." | Interviewed by BBC News in May 2007 about his wartime experiences, Arnold Meri said: "Every Estonian had only one decision to make: whose side to take in that bloody fight - the Nazis' or the anti-Hitler coalition's." |