ROME (JTA) — Convicted Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke has died in Rome at the age of 100.
His lawyer, Paolo Giachini, made the announcement in a statement to Italian media Friday. He said Priebke, who passed away earlier that day, has left as a “human and political testament” a written and video interview, but no details were released.
A former Nazi SS officer, Priebke was tracked down in Bariloche, Argentina by the ABC Primetime Live news team. After months of legal wrangling, he was deported to Italy in 1995. He was put on trial, convicted and sentenced to life for taking part in the March 1944 massacre of 335 Romans, including about 75 Jews, who were killed in the Ardeatine Caves south of Rome in reprisal for a partisan attack on German officers.
Priebke was serving his life sentence under house arrest in a Rome apartment. Protesters scuffled outside his building when Priebke celebrated his 100th birthday in July.
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