From the Herald Sun:

Nazi accused loses
May 31, 2007

AN accused Nazi war criminal has failed to avoid extradition proceedings while an appeal goes to the High Court.

Hungary wants to try Charles Zentai, 84, over allegations he tortured and murdered a Jewish teenager in Budapest during World War II.

Mr Zentai appeared in the Perth Magistrates’ Court yesterday after an unsuccessful Federal Court challenge that had temporarily halted extradition proceedings begun in 2005.

Mr Zentai has denied allegations he murdered Peter Balazs, 18.

The charges were brought against him by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, the Jewish human rights organisation.

Mr Zentai had joined alleged Irish fraud Vincent O’Donoghue in the Federal Court case to argue that state magistrates did not have the legal power to deal with extraditions.

But the Full Bench of the Federal Court rejected their appeal last month.

Mr Zentai and Mr O’Donoghue have filed an application for special leave to appeal to the High Court of Australia.

The pair’s lawyers told the Perth Magistrates’ Court yesterday the extradition proceedings should be stayed until the High Court application is heard.

But prosecutor Pauline Caust said the warrant for Mr Zentai had been issued in 2005 and Mr O’Donoghue’s warrant had been issued in 2004 and proceedings should no longer be delayed.

Magistrate Graeme Calder agreed and adjourned the matter to August 7.