From The Age:

Zentai appeal set down for next year
October 25, 2006

An elderly Perth man fighting extradition to Europe to face Nazi war crimes allegations will have an appeal heard by the full bench of the Federal Court next year.

Charles Zentai, 84, has denied torturing and murdering 18-year-old Jewish man Peter Balazs in Budapest while serving in the army of Hitler’s wartime ally, Hungary.

His extradition was due to be proceed in the Perth Magistrates Court earlier this year but Zentai - in tandem with alleged Irish fraudster Vincent O’Donoghue - initiated a Federal Court challenge against the power of West Australian magistrates to deal with Commonwealth extradition laws.

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.

Zentai’s lawyers argued there were constitutional problems with investing state judicial officers with powers to perform “executive” commonwealth roles.

The Federal Court rejected Zentai’s application last month but Zentai is appealing the decision.

The appeal has been set down to be heard during the February sittings of the full bench of the Federal Court.

Zentai is scheduled to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on December 11.