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BERLIN (Reuters) - A prominent Jewish rights group on Monday
gave Germany an "inadequate" rating for the first
time for sluggish prosecution of suspected Nazi war criminals
after previously topping the annual rankings of 26 nations.
"In light of the high number of suspects and the political
consensus behind prosecuting Nazi murderers we expect better
results from the German justice system," said Efraim
Zuroff, head of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which hunts
former Nazis.
In its annual reports the organization gives countries grades
for efforts to prosecute Nazi criminals. This is the first
time since the centre began issuing its reports six years
ago that Germany received an unsatisfactory grade.
The report criticizes the fact that Germany obtained no
convictions and filed no indictments, despite 22 investigations
being initiated in the last year and 20 ongoing investigations.
"It's not deliberate, it's a lack of zeal, a certain
tiredness," Zuroff told Reuters. "Germany doesn't
have enough young enthusiastic prosecutors."
America was the only country to be awarded the top grade,
the work of the U.S. Office of Special Investigations being
singled out for particular praise.
Germany's Justice Ministry and the country's Central Office
for Investigation of the Nazi Past declined to comment on
the Wiesenthal Center's report.
During the last six years Germany has convicted three former
Nazi war criminals while the United States has convicted
34.
There are 1,019 investigations of possible Nazi war criminals
underway worldwide, the report said.
washingtonpost.com
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