WA: Federal Court rejects alleged Nazi criminal appeal

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2007
WA: Federal Court rejects alleged Nazi criminal appeal

The Federal Court's rejected an appeal by an elderly Perth man .. fighting extradition
to Europe for alleged Nazi war crimes.

Hungary wants to try 84-year-old CHARLES ZENTAI over allegations he tortured and murdered
an 18-year-old Jewish man in Budapest .. while serving in the army during World War Two.

ZENTAI was due to face extradition proceedings last year in the Perth Magistrates Court
.. but they stalled when he joined alleged Irish fraudster VINCENT O'DONOGHUE in a federal
court challenge.

The pair argued state magistrates don't have the legal power to deal with extradition.

Federal Court Justice ANTONY SIOPIS rejected the pair's argument last September and
the full bench of the court heard their appeal earlier this year.

Justice BRIAN TAMBERLIN today said the appeal has been rejected .. and extradition
proceedings against ZENTAI can now proceed .. pending further legal challenges.

Under federal law extradition applications from foreign countries go before state magistrates
.. who assess their validity before referring them to the federal attorney-general ..

for final adjudication.

Justice TAMBERLIN .. who heard the appeal along with Justice ROGER GYLES and Justice
MICHAEL MOORE .. said ZENTAI and O'DONOGHUE failed to make out their case.

ZENTAI .. who's suffering from poor health and wasn't in court .. has denied the allegations
brought against him by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre .. an international Jewish human rights
organisation.

AAP RTV ag/imc/bart

KEYWORD: ZENTAI (PERTH)

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