Elderly Nazi Suspects Continue to Evade Justice
They committed their alleged crimes more than six decades ago but have escaped justice. Dozens of suspected Nazi war criminals are enjoying the twilight of their lives. For investigators into World War II atrocities, it is a race against time.
For Charles Zentai, Tuesday was a good day: His extradition from Australia to Hungary was halted at the last minute after the government in Budapest withdrew its opposition to the 87-year-old's application for bail. Zentai, who now lives in Perth, Western Australia, is suspected of having tortured and murdered the 18-year-old Hungarian Jew Peter Balazs in November 1944 and then dumping his body in the Danube River.
The Australian police had arrested Zentai in July 2005 -- but the trial and the decision about what to do with the elderly man were repeatedly postponed. It looks increasingly unlikely that he will ever face justice in a Hungarian court.
Zentai is just one of dozens of suspected Nazi war criminals around the world who have evaded justice.
Read entire article at Spiegel Online
For Charles Zentai, Tuesday was a good day: His extradition from Australia to Hungary was halted at the last minute after the government in Budapest withdrew its opposition to the 87-year-old's application for bail. Zentai, who now lives in Perth, Western Australia, is suspected of having tortured and murdered the 18-year-old Hungarian Jew Peter Balazs in November 1944 and then dumping his body in the Danube River.
The Australian police had arrested Zentai in July 2005 -- but the trial and the decision about what to do with the elderly man were repeatedly postponed. It looks increasingly unlikely that he will ever face justice in a Hungarian court.
Zentai is just one of dozens of suspected Nazi war criminals around the world who have evaded justice.