Prosecutors on Wednesday began the extradition trial of German-Canadian arms dealer Karlheinz Schreiber alleging he had avoided paying 23.8 million German marks (11.5 million USD) in taxes to the German government between 1993 and 1998.

Schreiber, arrested here in August 1999 but freed on bail, has fought extradition to Germany ever since, unwilling to face corruption, bribery, breach of trust and fiscal charges relating to his work for German defense contractors and aerospace firms.

Canadian government lawyers represented Germany in the courtroom of Justice David Watt, who opened the multi-day trial by dismissing a defense request to first consider the withdrawal of some of the charges filed against the dual citizen in a German court this week.

Prosecutor Howard Piafsky said a former confidant of Schreiber provided "direct evidence about the scheme to evade taxes".

He said Schreiber avoided paying taxes on revenues of 64.6 million German marks (31.3 million USD) earned between 1993 and 1998 in commissions from selling aircraft.

With acknowledgement to Sapa.