Australian
court reserves Nazi extradition decision |
SYDNEY, Australia (JTA) – The full bench of Australia's Federal
Court reserved its decision on whether to extradite an
alleged Nazi war criminal to Hungary.
Charles (Karoly) Zentai, 87, appeared Tuesday in Federal Court in Perth, where
he is appealing an earlier judgment that approved an extradition
order for him to face murder charges in his native Hungary.
Australia has never extradited an alleged Nazi war criminal.
Zentai denies allegations he took
part in the murder of an 18-year-old Jew, Peter Balazs, in
Budapest in 1944 for allegedly not wearing the mandatory
yellow Star of David. Zentai, who arrived in Australia in
1950, reportedly has spent $110,000 over the last four and
a half years fighting the case.
The judges said they would try to
deliver their verdict shortly. If Zentai loses this appeal,
the federal government will make the final decision on his
surrender to Hungary. Meanwhile, Zentai’s bail conditions
remain.
JTA
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