News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Russian officials announced Thursday that Israel citizen and former IDF officer Yair Klein would be extradited to Columbia. Klein was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison by a Columbian court for allegedly training a private military belonging to drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Klein’s wife spoke to Israeli reporters on Thursday and warned that if he is extradited, Klein is likely to be killed. He has received many death threats, she said. She accused the Israeli government of abandoning her husband and said no Israeli representatives were present at his trial.

Dozens of men who served with Klein in the IDF protested recently and called on Israel to prevent the extradition. Klein saved the lives of several soldiers during heavy fighting, they said, and the state owes him protection.