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Nazi war criminal Priebke's funeral halted amid protests | Nazi war criminal Priebke's funeral halted amid protests |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The funeral service for Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke in Italy has been halted amid angry protests. | The funeral service for Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke in Italy has been halted amid angry protests. |
More than 500 people in the city of Albano Laziale shouted "murderer" and "executioner", and clashed with Nazi sympathisers, as his coffin passed. | More than 500 people in the city of Albano Laziale shouted "murderer" and "executioner", and clashed with Nazi sympathisers, as his coffin passed. |
The former German SS officer, who was jailed for life in 1998 over the killing of more than 300 civilians, died under house arrest last week. | The former German SS officer, who was jailed for life in 1998 over the killing of more than 300 civilians, died under house arrest last week. |
His death led to fierce debate over what to do with his body. | His death led to fierce debate over what to do with his body. |
That question remains after the funeral was suspended on Tuesday evening. | That question remains after the funeral was suspended on Tuesday evening. |
The exact reason for the halt in the ceremony is unclear, although Priebke's lawyer, Paolo Giachini, said it had been stopped because the authorities had prevented friends and family entering. | |
The agency quoted Mr Giachini as saying that the funeral was "a moment of mourning" that had nothing to do with politics. | The agency quoted Mr Giachini as saying that the funeral was "a moment of mourning" that had nothing to do with politics. |
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. | 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. |
He died aged 100 and had never apologised for his actions. | He died aged 100 and had never apologised for his actions. |
The Vatican had issued an unprecedented ban on holding the funeral in any Catholic church in Rome. | The Vatican had issued an unprecedented ban on holding the funeral in any Catholic church in Rome. |
Argentina, where Priebke lived for nearly 50 years before being extradited to Italy, has refused to take the body. | Argentina, where Priebke 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: "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' |
Angry demonstrators who had gathered in Albano Laziale jeered at and hit the hearse carrying Priebke's coffin as it made its way to the funeral. | Angry demonstrators who had gathered in Albano Laziale jeered at and hit the hearse carrying Priebke's coffin as it made its way to the funeral. |
"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. |
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. | 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. |
It is unclear whether the body remained in the seminary overnight or was moved to a different location. | It is unclear whether the body remained in the seminary overnight or was moved to a different location. |
After World War II, Priebke lived in the Argentine Andean resort of Bariloche, before his identity was discovered in 1994. | |
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. | 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. |