Ex-Nazi soldier gets more prison time in Chile

updated 9:33 p.m. ET March 26, 2008

SANTIAGO, Chile - A jailed former Nazi soldier who led a commune-like German colony in Chile has been sentenced to three more years in prison for torture, a judge said Wednesday.

Paul Schaefer, the ex-leader of Colonia Dignidad, or Dignity Colony, was extradited from Argentina in 2005 and convicted the following year of sexually abusing some 20 children who attended the colony's school and clinic. He was sentenced to 20 years, plus three for an illegal weapons conviction.

Judge Jorge Zepeda said in a statement that Schaefer has been given another three-year sentence for the torture of seven residents of the secretive enclave in southern Chile between 1970 and 1980. He did not provide more details.

Schaefer is being held at a maximum security prison, and it was not clear whether the latest sentence would be served concurrently with the others.

A lawyer for Schaefer did not immediately return a call seeking comment. His defense team argues that Schaefer is mentally and physically unfit to stand trial, but the courts have yet to rule on the matter.

Schaefer, 86, founded the German colony in 1961 and is accused of collaborating with the 1973-1990 military dictatorship of the late Gen. Augusto Pinochet. He allegedly let secret police operate a clandestine prison on the grounds, according to witnesses' testimony in court documents.

Authorities say about 300 Germans and 200 Chileans lived in the colony.

More from msnbc.com First Read: Palin on creationism, Clinton, Fey Scoop: Will Meyer bite into another ‘Twilight’ book? Ice addict heads for poles, Everest | Trek posts Were you paying attention? Take our weekly quiz World Blog: China puts foot down on 'Oba Mao' T-shirts Stimulus tracker: See where millions of dollars went On Twitter: Breaking news updates | Weird and wild

MORE FROM AMERICAS

Americas Section Front

Pro-Cuba embargo money flows to lawmakers Peru quits summit over alleged espionage Venezuela's Chavez: Do sit-ups, eat well Can baseball bring U.S. and Cuba together? Drug lord makes Forbes list of ‘most powerful’ Huge Andes lake is drying up Mexican business groups call for U.N. troops Brazil: Big drop in Amazon deforestation Americas Section Front   Add Americas headlines to your news reader: