An 86-year-old alleged war criminal accused of murdering a young Jewish man in World War II lost a court battle Wednesday against extradition from Australia to Hungary.
A judge ordered Charles Zentai be taken into custody after finding that he was eligible for extradition, but he was later granted bail by a Federal Court judge after his lawyers lodged an appeal.
Zentai is accused of beating to death teenager Peter Balazs in 1944 in Budapest while serving as a soldier in the army of his native Hungary, then allied with Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany.
Zentai’s lawyers took the case to the Federal Court, where judge Neil McKerracher allowed bail of $43,000 (US). Zentai was expected to be released from Perth’s Hakea prison later in the day.
The judge heard that Zentai’s health was poor, but said that apart from medical reasons, he was granting bail because Zentai had been “exemplary” in the way he had handled his bail conditions since his arrest in 2005.
The allegations against Zentai, which he denies, have been brought by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Jewish human rights organization known for tracking down alleged Nazi war criminals.
(Source: AFP)
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7 Responses
One way or the other Ha-Shem will make sure he gets his punishment but I have to admit I would rather Ha-Shem makes the courts the messenegers of justice for all to see with our own eyes!
Good!
Good to hear that they’re being brought to custody. Let them all be caught, no matter how old they are. Even a day before their death! At least they should die knowing that they didnt get away with it.
We still don’t know whether he’s guilty. Let’s wait for the trial before we start planning his punishment!
“we still dont know whether he’s guilty..”
If you know anything about the simon wiesenthal center – you’d know there is no question as to his being guilty. Whether emes will shine through in our confused world and show the world he is guilty as another matter!
The Simon Weisenthal Center is a publicity-hungry organisation whose word is worth no more than Jesse Jackson’s. If they’re right this time, it’s only by coincidence. Let’s wait for the trial and see what the evidence is.
By the way, anyone who believed the evidence against John Demjanjuk (the first time around) has no business being believed on this guy.
I know plenty about the Simon Wiesenthal Center – its word means nothing. There has never been an accusation of this kind that it has NOT supported.