A combination photo shows a former Siemens Chief Executives Klaus Kleinfeld (R) on April 26, 2007 and Heinrich von Pierer on November 24, 2003. Siemens AG plans to claim damages from 11 former top managers, including former Chairman Heinrich von Pierer and ex-Chief Executive Klaus Kleinfeld, for failing to stop illegal practices and bribery at the company, the German engineering group said on Tuesday. The supervisory board of Siemens has approved the move and said former managers will be given a chance to state their case on the accusations before legal action for damages is taken.  (Xinhua Photo/Reuters) Photo Gallery>>>

    BERLIN, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Siemens, the largest engineering powerhouse in Europe, said Tuesday it plans to sue its 11 former executives including ex-CEO Klaus Kleinfeld and former chairman Heinrich von Pierer for their failing in supervisory which has cost the company millions in fines and damaged its reputation.

    Siemens' supervisory board approved on Tuesday the recommendations from the law firm, Hengeler Mueller, to sue those executives who are in charge between 2003 and 2006

    Siemens said those executives have breached their organizational and supervisory duties, which opened a door to illegal business practices and extensive bribery between 2003 and 2006.

    The claim was the first time that a German listed company in Dax to sue its former chief executive.

    Heinrich von Pierer and Klaus Kleinfeld always denied any wrongdoing in those bribery scandals and Kleinfeld is now heading the U.S. steel group Alcoa.

    Monday, Reinhard Siekaczek, a former Siemens executive, was sentenced to two-year jail terms on probation and fined 108,000 euros (around 170,000 U.S. dollars) for his role in a bribery scandal of the industrial giant.