Post by lovelace on Jun 9, 2006 6:49:54 GMT -5
German Jewish leader calls Ahmadinejad 'second Hitler' Thu Jun 8, 7:00 AM ET
BERLIN (AFP) - The president-elect of Germany's Jewish community called Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "a second Hitler" in an interview published Thursday and demanded Berlin charge him with Holocaust denial if he attends the football World Cup.
Charlotte Knobloch, who was elected head of Central Council of Jews in Germany, told the mass-selling Bild newspaper the German government and justice system must take a tough line against Ahmadinejad if he arrived to support the Iranian side.
"For me, this man is a second Hitler. He denies the Holocaust. That is an criminal offense in Germany," she was quoted as saying.
"The German government should not protect him with diplomatic immunity. The authorities should launch a probe against him instead and punish him."
The German foreign ministry said Wednesday it had issued a visa for an Iranian vice president, Mohammed Aliabadi, so he can attend the football World Cup starting Friday but stressed he would be coming "as a sports official".
"He does not represent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad," the spokesman said.
Ahmadinejad, who has repeatedly denied the Nazis' slaughter of six million Jews and called for the destruction of Israel, has said he would like to attend the mega-event.
But an Iranian spokesman claimed last month he would not be going to Germany.
BERLIN (AFP) - The president-elect of Germany's Jewish community called Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "a second Hitler" in an interview published Thursday and demanded Berlin charge him with Holocaust denial if he attends the football World Cup.
Charlotte Knobloch, who was elected head of Central Council of Jews in Germany, told the mass-selling Bild newspaper the German government and justice system must take a tough line against Ahmadinejad if he arrived to support the Iranian side.
"For me, this man is a second Hitler. He denies the Holocaust. That is an criminal offense in Germany," she was quoted as saying.
"The German government should not protect him with diplomatic immunity. The authorities should launch a probe against him instead and punish him."
The German foreign ministry said Wednesday it had issued a visa for an Iranian vice president, Mohammed Aliabadi, so he can attend the football World Cup starting Friday but stressed he would be coming "as a sports official".
"He does not represent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad," the spokesman said.
Ahmadinejad, who has repeatedly denied the Nazis' slaughter of six million Jews and called for the destruction of Israel, has said he would like to attend the mega-event.
But an Iranian spokesman claimed last month he would not be going to Germany.
