The Netherlands government is urging Canada to amend an 86-year-old treaty between the two countries which has frustrated efforts to obtain the extradition of Jaap (Jacob) Luitjens, a resident of Vancouver, who was convicted in his native Holland in 1948 of collaboration with the Nazi occupation forces during World War II.
Luitjens was sentenced in absentia to 20 years in prison for “aiding and abetting” the enemy, a crime not covered by the Canada-Netherlands treaty of 1899. The Dutch Ambassador to Canada, Naboth Van Dijl, said his government has been trying for a number of years to negotiate a new treaty, so far without success.
Luitjens was found guilty of helping the Nazis track down Dutch resistance fighters and locating secret radio transmitters and receivers. He is also alleged to have killed a German army deserter and a Dutch resistance member. Luitjens has denied killing anyone but refused to go to Holland to answer the charges.
Van Dijl said he was surprised that Canada would not comply with a request from one of its Western democratic allies to do all it could to return a convicted war criminal to face justice.
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