An Australian court ruled today that suspected Nazi war criminal Mr Konrad Kalejs should be extradited to Latvia, where he is wanted on charges of war crimes and genocide.
The charges against Mr Kalejs (87) relate to his role as a commander at the Salaspils labour camp near Riga in 1942-43 during World War Two.
"I am satisfied that Konrad Alfreds Kalejs is eligible for surrender to the Republic of Latvia in relation to the offences for which extradition is sought", said magistrate Lisa Hannan in a Melbourne court.
Ms Hannan ordered Mr Kalejs, who had been on bail at a home for the elderly, be held in prison to await a surrender warrant.
Defence lawyers for Mr Kalejs said they would appeal and seek bail as soon as possible for Mr Kalejs, who attended the packed courtroom seated in a wheelchair.
"We are disappointed with the magistrate's decision and will immediately appeal to try and stop this inhumane and unjust process", said Mr Kalejs' lawyer Gerard Lethbridge in a statement read to reporters outside the court.
Mr Kalejs, who took Australian citizenship in 1957, fled to Melbourne last year to avoid deportation from Britain, after being kicked out of Canada in 1997 and the United States in 1994 for lying on entry forms about his war past.
Mr Kalejs was arrested last December after Latvia requested his extradition, and was released on bail to a home for the elderly.
In her ruling, Ms Hannan rejected arguments that Latvia was seeking Kalejs due to international pressure and that he was wanted for his political opinions and not war crimes.
She said the defence also failed to convince the court that Latvia's case was too disorganised and vague to allow extradition.
Ms Hannan said she believed Latvian documents linked Mr Kalejs with the death of 290 Jews from the Salaspils camp who were sent to Rumbula for destruction .
But Mr Lethbridge said after the ruling that there was no credible evidence against Kalejs.
"Mr Kalejs has consistently maintained he is innocent and done no wrong", he said.