Scottish authorities have refused on health grounds to extradite an 85-year-old man charged with Nazi war crimes in Lithuania.
"The independent medical report indicates that there is no prospect of Mr Antonas Gecas being able to attend court . . . or understand the charges against him," a Scottish Executive spokeswoman said.
"Such is his medical condition that officers have not been able to serve an arrest warrant on him but if his condition improves the warrant may still be served at a later date," she said.
The Baltic state requested the extradition of Mr Gecas - formerly Antanas Gecevicius - in March to face charges of murdering Jews during the German occupation of the country in World War Two.
In Vilnius, Mr Vidmantas Putelis, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said they were reviewing the situation before deciding on their next step.
Scottish justice authorities began extradition proceedings at the end of July but did not serve an arrest warrant after Mr Gecas was hospitalised following two strokes. They saying they would a seek medical opinions on the matter.
Scotland's devolved government has come under pressure from Jewish Nazi-hunting groups who say Mr Gecas is feigning illness to avoid extradition and trial.
In 1992, Mr Gecas lost a libel suit he brought against Scottish Television that aired a documentary accusing him of war crimes in Nazi-occupied Lithuania and Belarus.
Over 90 per cent of Lithuania's Jews were murdered during the Holocaust.