A former member of the Waffen SS has begun a life-sentence for the murder of three civilians during World War II.
Wheelchair bound Heinrich Boere, who is now 90 years old, was taken from his nursing home to the prison where he will serve his sentence.
An appeal on medical grounds was rejected, as a medical expert testified he was well enough to serve his sentence at a suitable facility.
Boere argued he had to shoot members of the Dutch resistance as he was ordered to do so by his commanding officers and risked being sent to a concentration camp himself if he didn’t comply.
"At no time in 1944 did I act with the feeling that I was committing a crime," he told the court during his trial, but added that 65 years later he saw things from a different perspective.
Related article:
Nazi hunters' final push (15 Dec 2011)
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
