The World - News from Aug. 11, 1988

The World Jewish Congress released a previously unpublished document and said it shows that Austrian President Kurt Waldheim knew in advance of plans to execute Greek hostages in World War II. The group’s executive director, Elan Steinberg, in Jerusalem to meet with Israeli leaders, said Waldheim told his commanders of the imminent execution of five Greek hostages in October, 1943. Previous documents have shown that Waldheim informed his commanders of executions after they were carried out, not before. Steinberg also charged the CIA with deliberately misleading the public about its record of Waldheim’s wartime activities as a German army intelligence officer. Waldheim, who has been under pressure to resign, has denied involvement in any war crimes.