BERLIN, (Reuters) – The German officer who called in  an air strike in Afghanistan that authorities say killed dozens  of people did not have the right to give the order, according to  preliminary NATO findings, a newspaper said yesterday.

German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung said a report from the  NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) had  found that Colonel Georg Klein had overstepped his command in  ordering the attack in Kunduz last week.

The paper quoted a senior NATO officer as saying it was  “crystal clear” that Klein had not kept to the prescribed chain  of command, and that he should not have made the decision  without checking back with ISAF headquarters.