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Nazi criminal funeral halted due to protests Nazi criminal funeral halted due to protests
(35 minutes later)
The funeral in Italy of convicted Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke has been called off after protesters surrounded his hearse. The funeral service for a Nazi war criminal in Italy has been called off after protesters surrounded his hearse.
More than 500 people demonstrated at the Catholic service in Albano Laziale, shouting "murderer" and "executioner" and clashing with Nazi sympathisers. More than 500 people shouted "murderer" and "executioner", and clashed with Nazi sympathisers, as Erich Priebke's coffin passed.
The former German SS officer was convicted in 1998 and jailed for life - he had been under house arrest in Rome. The former German SS officer was jailed for life in 1998, over the killing of more than 300 civilians in 1944.
He died last week, aged 100, and had never apologised for his actions. He died while under house arrest last week, aged 100, and had never apologised for his actions.
Priebke was one of the SS officers present during the killing of men and boys at Rome's Ardeatine Caves in 1944, in a reprisal attack ordered by Adolf Hitler for the killing of 33 German soldiers in Rome by resistance fighters.
Since his death, there has been fierce debate over what to do with his remains.Since his death, there has been fierce debate over what to do with his remains.
The Vatican issued an unprecedented ban on holding the funeral in any Catholic church in Rome.The Vatican issued an unprecedented ban on holding the funeral in any Catholic church in Rome.
Argentina, where Preibke lived for nearly 50 years before being extradited to Italy, has refused to take the body.Argentina, where Preibke lived for nearly 50 years before being extradited to Italy, has refused to take the body.
But the Society of St Pius X - a Catholic splinter group often accused of having far-right and anti-Semitic leanings - offered to hold the ceremony.But the Society of St Pius X - a Catholic splinter group often accused of having far-right and anti-Semitic leanings - offered to hold the ceremony.
Don Floriano Abrahamowicz, a St Pius X priest, told Italy's Radio 24 that "Priebke was a friend of mine, a Christian, a faithful soldier". Don Floriano Abrahamowicz, a St Pius X priest, told Italy's Radio 24: "Priebke was a friend of mine, a Christian, a faithful soldier."
'Take him to the landfill''Take him to the landfill'
According to Italian media, the service had already begun when protesters broke into the compound.
On the way to the funeral, angry demonstrators gathered to jeer at and hit the hearse.On the way to the funeral, angry demonstrators gathered to jeer at and hit the hearse.
"Take him to the landfill!" one man shouted, according to the French news agency AFP."Take him to the landfill!" one man shouted, according to the French news agency AFP.
Priebke's lawyer, Paolo Giachini, told the Associated Press that the authorities "did not allow people to enter who wanted to come in". According to Italian media, the coffin was taken into the seminary of the Society of St Pius X, and the service had already begun when protesters broke into the compound.
The funeral was then quickly suspended by a police.
Priebke was one of the SS officers present during the killing of men and boys at Rome's Ardeatine Caves in 1944, in a reprisal attack ordered by Adolf Hitler for the killing of 33 German soldiers in Rome by resistance fighters.
After World War II, Priebke lived in the Argentine Andean resort of Bariloche, before his identity was unveiled in 1994.After World War II, Priebke lived in the Argentine Andean resort of Bariloche, before his identity was unveiled in 1994.
He was then extradited to Italy and jailed for life in 1998, but because of his age and poor health he was allowed to serve his sentence under house arrest in Rome. He was then extradited to Italy and jailed - but because of his age and poor health he was allowed to serve his sentence under house arrest in Rome.