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The image of Milivoj Asner released by Interpol.
Last update - 13:30 17/06/2008
Report: Wanted Nazi war criminal says 'can appear before any court'
By Bradley Burston, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Euro 2008, Holocaust, Nazis 

The former Croatian chief of police who is wanted for his alleged role in deporting hundreds to concentration camps during World War II says he would be ready to disprove allegations against him in court.

"I have a clear conscience, I can appear in front of any court," Milivoj Asner, who was spotted in Austria, told the British Sun newspaper in remarks published on Tuesday.

As chief of police and a Gestapo operative in Croatia's wartime Nazi-controlled regime, Asner is suspected of having taken an active role in the deportation to death camps of hundreds of Jews, Serbs, Gypsies. Asner is also alleged to have stood by as fascists burned the synagogue of the town of Pozega.
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"I would welcome the chance to answer these accusations in a Croatian court," he told The Sun. "I don't have anything to do with it. I did not have enough responsibility to order deportation."

The Sun newspaper reported Monday that it had tracked down Asner, listed as fourth on the Simon Wisenthal Center's list of most-wanted Nazi war criminals, and that the 95-year-old Asner, whom Austrian authorities maintain is too ill to be extradited for trial, was photographed as he strolled with his wife and mingled with soccer fans enjoying coverage of the Euro 2008 championships.

Interpol's most-wanted list shows an Croatian arrest warrant for Asner for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Austria turned down Croatia's request to extradite him for questioning and trial for war crimes, saying he was physically unable.

The Sun reported that it had located Asner living under an assumed name in Klagenfurt, Austria. The paper said it "secretly filmed him as he strolled confidently for more than a mile, arm-in-arm with second wife Edeltraut. Walking without a stick, he even roamed 8th May Street -named after VE Day. He stopped several times to sit in cafe's, chatting to waiters and sipping leisurely drinks alongside excited football fans."

Asner has been living under the name of Dr. Georg Aschner since he came to Klagenfurt in 2006, the Sun said, adding that his home is opposite the local Croatian cultural center.

"Austria has long had a reputation as a paradise for war criminals and now they've been caught in the act," Efraim Zuroff, head of the Jerusalem branch of the Nazi-hunting Simon Wiesenthal Center, told the paper. "It is time for them to do what is right and help bring Nazi war criminals to justice."

According to the Sun, Asner confirmed his identity when approached by the paper, but denied that he had taken part in deportations or that he was a war criminal. "It is not true," he was quoted as telling the Sun. "It's hilarious."

"I didn't have anything to do with it. I was just an officer with the justice department - a lawyer. I never did anything bad against anybody."

But Zuroff said Asner must face justice for the sake of all those who died in concentration camps. "He's shown absolutely no remorse. It is our intention to bring this to the attention of the Austrian Minister of Justice Maria Berger and call for his immediate extradition."

Dismissing Austri's contention that Asner is too infirm to be extradited, Zuroff said "He is clearly enjoying a life that many hundreds of victims were denied when they were sent off to be murdered.

"The Sun found him healthy enough to stroll happily round his home town for hours. This is highly significant. If this man is well enough to walk around town unaided and drink wine in bars, he's well enough to answer for his past."

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      1.   Not surprised at all 17:29  |  * BEN JABO 16/06/08
      2.   So????? 18:46  |  Harald 16/06/08
      3.   Volksdeutscher is not a Croat 19:14  |  Keops 16/06/08
      4.   Harald, the point is 19:38  |  judith 16/06/08
      5.   Austria,Nazi`s and Soccer 20:35  |  Connie 16/06/08
      6.   there but for the grace of god ! 21:13  |  Sean 16/06/08
      7.   If he accept Jesus, then he is going to heaven 21:39  |  Peter 16/06/08
      8.   re #1 Ben Jabo `Not surprised` 22:38  |  Colin Wright 16/06/08
      9.   nazi sheltered 22:39  |  giovanni 16/06/08
      10.   Hopefully in 50 years, Palestinians hunt down... 23:34  |  John 16/06/08
      11.   George Bush and Dick Cheney should be executed 23:42  |  Akiva P 16/06/08
      12.   John # 10 00:05  |  dan 17/06/08
      13.   NO justice 00:31  |  Salty 17/06/08
      14.   Austria forever 00:40  |  alois 17/06/08
      15.   To #10 00:53  |  Randolf 17/06/08
      16.   Proof 00:56  |  Jean Chretien 17/06/08
      17.   #10 John NY 00:58  |  * BEN JABO 17/06/08
      18.   John #10 00:58  |  Sabra 17/06/08
      19.   John says 01:04  |  K 17/06/08
      20.   unbelivable 01:32  |  Hrvatica 17/06/08
      21.   I do fear that once peace is achieved many in the IDF will face 01:41  |  Liquidator 17/06/08
      22.   Connie 01:42  |  Yabbo 17/06/08
      23.   The beg. of hunting IDF is here 01:44  |  Hunters 17/06/08
      24.   A pursuit devoid of any relative value 02:16  |  Mark Lincoln 17/06/08
      25.   Where is the Isreali Government 02:40  |  Jonathan 17/06/08
      26.   Colin Wright, you have a keen eye 02:42  |  Mark B. 17/06/08
      27.   The Oppression lie 02:45  |  Richard S 17/06/08
      28.   Statute of limitations 05:45  |  Mélanie 17/06/08
      29.   War Criminals should pay to society 06:09  |  Abe 17/06/08
      30.   Yabbo 06:34  |  Connie 17/06/08
      31.   #8 Colin Wrong - Let`s give Weisenthal it`s just due 06:43  |  * BEN JABO 17/06/08
      32.   Enough already 06:53  |  Marilyn 17/06/08
      33.   Hunters and Jokers 06:58  |  Connie 17/06/08
      34.   Enough already - I agree 07:24  |  Bill 17/06/08
      35.   Wiesenthal, Inc. 08:58  |  R 17/06/08
      36.   Bill #34 09:58  |  Dave 17/06/08
      37.   extradite the IDF for crimes against humanity 10:16  |  justice both ways 17/06/08
      38.   Bill #34 10:20  |  MIke 17/06/08
      39.   BOMB AUSTRIA 10:34  |  THEY WILL NEVER CHAN 17/06/08
      40.   Who Cares? 10:38  |  Natallie Durson 17/06/08
      41.   And then we have SOLOMON MOREL... 10:43  |  PADDY 17/06/08
      42.   Moke #38 10:44  |  Mélanie 17/06/08
      43.   A speaking condemnation of current Austrian policy 10:54  |  x-ray 17/06/08
      44.   # 40 Natallie Durson - MANY CARE ! 11:21  |  Paul Henzen 17/06/08
      45.   # 7 Peter - but Jesus will not accept him... 11:27  |  Paul Henzen 17/06/08
      46.   # 41 Solomon Morel should be tried in Israel 11:32  |  Paul Henzen 17/06/08
      47.   TO DIVERT PEOPLE ATTENTION FROM PALESTINE, AS USUAL 11:37  |  indrajaya 17/06/08
      48.   Austria and Germany safe havens for Nazi war criminals 11:42  |  Jonathan S 17/06/08
      49.   "JUSTICE both ways." Your list has a GLARING omission! Arabs 11:56  |  PETER SM 17/06/08
      50.   #45 paul henzen and jesus 11:59  |  christian 17/06/08
      51.   INDRAJAYA PALESTINIANS do enough murders to get attention 12:24  |  PETER SM 17/06/08
      52.   trial by bullet is a cheap and simple way to deal with him 12:32  |  zionist forever 17/06/08
      53.   MARYLIN.Enough? Are you worried Islamists worldwide 12:45  |  PETER SM 17/06/08
      54.   Asner Fate 12:49  |  LevZahav 17/06/08
      55.   #3 TO HARALD 12:54  |  LevZahav 17/06/08
      56.   Hunters - That is probably the stupidest comment I heard. The IDF 12:55  |  ty 17/06/08
      57.   Indrajaya amd Marilyn 13:48  |  Judith 17/06/08
      58.   what goes around comes around 14:02  |  round and round 17/06/08
      59.   # 54 LevZahav, Asner Fate? It want make a difference now 14:47  |  Haham me Bat Yam 17/06/08
      60.   nazi huntes are psycho boys! 15:01  |  Manolo nazi expert 17/06/08
      61.   What would we gain 15:02  |  Rachel Stevens 17/06/08
      62.   MARILYN & BILL Enough already 15:03  |  chasaboy 17/06/08
      63.   Waldheim was a clean soldier 15:07  |  Manolo nazi expert 17/06/08
      64.   WHO WILL BRING ZIONIST WAR CRIMINALS TO TRIAL? 15:48  |  TripleJump 17/06/08
      65.   dave # 36- so in the name of justice IDF face same fate 15:51  |  kameel 17/06/08
      66.   "justice both ways" - do you work for the BBC? 15:53  |  ZISD 17/06/08
      67.   MANOLO the Nazi ignoramus Waldheim was implicated in the murder 15:53  |  PETER SM 17/06/08
      68.   Paddy # 41..bright 16:01  |  kameel 17/06/08
      69.   kill commandos is not `war crime` 16:18  |  Manolo nazi expert 17/06/08
      70.