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A photograph of Michael Seifert taken during his service in the SS. (AP) Last update - 17:56 16/02/2008 Former Nazi guard extradited to Italy begins serving life sentence By The Associated Press Tags: Nazi, Canada, Holocaust  Extradited from Canada, an 83-year-old former SS prison guard who witnesses said laughed when he tortured inmates in an Italian detention camp was imprisoned Saturday near Naples to start serving a life sentence for war crimes. Michael Seifert used a cane and leaned on the arm of a policeman as he walked with shuffling steps upon arrival early Saturday at Rome's Ciampino airport. He was whisked away to Santa Maria Capua Vetere prison. A military tribunal in Verona had put the Ukrainian-born Seifert on trial in absentia and convicted him in 2000 of nine counts of murder committed while he was an SS guard at a prison transit camp in Bolzano, in the Alpine area of South Tyrol. Advertisement He has acknowledged being a guard at the SS-run camp but denies being involved in atrocities. Seifert, who has lived in Canada since 1951, had unsuccessfully fought efforts by the Canadian government to strip him of his citizenship based on allegations that he hid his past when he entered the country. "Justice has been done," said Marisa Scala, who was a key witness at trial of Seifert, whose notoriety for cruelty earned him the nickname "Beast of Bolzano." Prosecutor Bartolomeo Costantini said a medical exam will help determine if the elderly Seifert is well enough to serve out his sentence in a prison cell. "His legs were a little wobbly after he got off the flight, likely due to the stress and the long journey," Costantini said by telephone. "Seifert has a pacemaker but otherwise is apparently healthy," he said. If doctors deem it necessary, Seifert could be incarcerated in a hospital ward in the prison, or put under house arrest. Italy rarely keeps very elderly inmates in prison, and Italian state TV reported that supporters were already trying to find someone willing to host him in their home. Scala, who was held for two months in the Bolzano camp, told Italian state radio that her memories were still strong of the convicted criminal: chubby, with ruddy cheeks, and known as Misha, the Ukrainian diminutive of his first name. "I saw him kill a young man of 18 who was in the cell across from me," Scala recalled. "I saw Misha begin to torture this poor young man, sticking his fingers in his eyes. They tortured him for three nights." "The third night, I heard (the inmate) gasping, calling out, 'Mama! Enough! I'm dying.' And the next morning they took his body away," Scala said. "Seifert was always laughing. When they did those things they laughed," Scala said. At his trial, witnesses testified that Seifert starved a 15-year-old prisoner to death and tortured a woman before killing her and her daughter. In 1944 and 1945, the Bolzano camp served as a transit point for Jews, Italian resistance fighters, Italians drafted for factory work and German army deserters who were being shipped north. Last month, Seifert lost a bid to have the Supreme Court of Canada consider his appeal seeking to stop his extradition to Italy. More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us   Jet error Israeli warplanes come close to shooting down Tony Blair's plane. Rehab (live) Report: Singer Amy Winehouse is to undergo drug rehab in Israel.   1.   A fate worse than death, believe me. 21:42  |  Phillipe T. Lucre 15/02/08   2.   may this piece of human filth burn in hell 23:43  |  don 15/02/08   3.   precedent 00:42  |  J 16/02/08   4.   BE NICE TO THE NAZI 00:43  |  SMART JEW 16/02/08   5.   seriously 07:01  |  danny 16/02/08   6.   Smart Jew I like it!!! 14:40  |  Petra 16/02/08   7.   What had he done to "worthless life"? Any victim of him 18:45  |  Karl 16/02/08   8.   Does he still receive Canada Pension ? 20:17  |  ottomatik 16/02/08   9.   Parole 20:39  |  John Bull 16/02/08   10.   to smart jew 21:49  |  Paul 16/02/08   11.   He doesn`t deserve any sympathy 22:33  |  jewish gal 16/02/08   12.   Box him in a small cell 14:46  |  Mike 17/02/08

Read & React Bradley Burston: The Palestinians' time is running out Responses: 438 West backs Lebanese gov't capitulation to Hezbollah Responses: 205 Obama promises 'unshakable commitment' to Israel if elected Responses: 224 Hamas: Olmert too weak to negotiate peace agreement with Syria Responses: 213 McCain rejects pastor's support after 'God sent Hitler' jibe Responses: 121 Rosner's Domain Rosner's Guests: can "decisive victory" against guerilla achieved? Blame the Israel Lobby for Clinton's loss? (WTR) Poll: Peace between Israel & Syria? Should American Jews Embrace Living Double Lives? Why Obama needs Florida Jews? (WTR) More Headlines 03:05 Law enforcement source: Olmert's indictment is just a matter of time 01:48 Syria sends minister to Iran after shock revelation of Israel talks 02:46 ANALYSIS: Can Syria break its Iranian bear hug? 01:06 Israel denies entry to high-profile critic Norman Finkelstein 02:53 ANALYSIS / Olmert's last police interview was tailormade for him 03:00 Spanish doctors, Israeli reality 02:07 Israel places 9th in 2008 Eurovision Song Contest; Russia wins 01:16 Israeli warplanes almost shoot down Tony Blair's plane 03:38 Report: Singer Amy Winehouse to undergo drug rehab in Israel 14:56 Tourist in critical condition after jumping from Tiberias hospital 02:11 'Israeli Big Lebowski' captures top student prize at Cannes Previous Editions Select Day 23 may 22 may 21 may 20 may 19 may 18 may 16 may 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may 11 may

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