U.S. URGES LITHUANIA TO TRY ACCUSED WAR CRIMINAL
USIA
15 September 1998
TEXT: U.S. URGES LITHUANIA TO TRY ACCUSED WAR CRIMINAL
(Lileikis accused of war crimes during Nazi occupation) (310)
Washington -- State Department Spokesman James Rubin said September 15
that the United States "expresses its deep disappointment that the
Government of Lithuania has not been able to bring accused World War
II war criminal Alaksandras Lileikis, or any other accused war
criminal, to trial."
Rubin said, "The United States calls on Lithuania to take whatever
steps are necessary to ensure that justice is rendered in this and
other important war crimes cases from the Nazi occupation."
Following is the text of the statement:
(Begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
September 15, 1998
STATEMENT BY JAMES P. RUBIN, SPOKESMAN
UNITED STATES CALLS ON LITHUANIA TO BRING TO TRIAL ACCUSED WAR
CRIMINAL ALEKSANDRAS LILEIKIS
The United States expresses its deep disappointment that the
Government of Lithuania has not been able to bring accused World War
II war criminal Alaksandras Lileikis, or any other accused war
criminal, to trial. A U.S. federal judge found that Lileikis, as
Vilnius Province Chief of Lithuanian Security Police during the Nazi
occupation, signed orders turning over Jews for execution for simply
being Jewish or for attempting to escape the Jewish ghetto established
by the Nazis in Vilnius.
On June 26, 1998, a Lithuanian judge determined that there was
sufficient evidence to bring Lileikis to trial. The judge further
ruled that the trial would start in September. This month, however,
Lileikis did not appear in court, citing ill health. The court has
asked for a report that will examine the defendant's claim that he
cannot appear in court.
The United States calls on Lithuania to take whatever steps are
necessary to ensure that justice is rendered in this and other
important war crimes cases from the Nazi occupation.
(End text)