Suspected Nazi war criminal, 95, found relaxing with football fans at Euro 2008 - News - Evening Standard
       

Suspected Nazi war criminal, 95, found relaxing with football fans at Euro 2008

Milivoj Asner was spotted watching Croatia at Euro 2008

A suspected Nazi war criminal has been found watching his country play football at the Euro 2008 football championships.

Milivoj Asner, 95, was spotted relaxing with fellow football fans in Austria while he watched his national side Croatia star in the tournament.

He is rated at number four on Interpol's most wanted list.

The Sun newspaper reported that Asner has been living under an assumed name in Klagenfurt since 2006, where the Croatian team are currently staying.

He is known by locals but has been spared extradition for being too ill to face charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Croatia.

The Simon Wiesenthal Centre, which attempts to track down suspected Nazi war criminals said Asner must face justice.

Director Dr Efraim Zuroff told the The Sun: "He's enjoying a life many hundreds of victims were denied when they were sent off to be murdered.

"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.

The alleged war criminal was found relaxing among football fans

The alleged war criminal was found relaxing among football fans

Hide-out: Asner has been living in Klagnenfurt in Austria for two years

Hide-out: Asner has been living in Klagnenfurt in Austria for two years

"It is our intention to bring this to the attention of the Austrian Minister of Justice Maria Berger and call for his immediate extradition."

Asner now lives under his assumed name of Dr Georg Aschner. He was indicted in 2005 for crimes committed during his time as a Ustashi police chief in the Second World War.

Among the charges is that he stood by as fascists burned and looted a synagogue in Pozega during 1941 and 1942. He is also alleged to have ordered the deportation of Serbs and Jews.

It was originally ruled that the 95-year-old could not be extradited to Croatia because he was an Austrian citizen.

They later admitted he was not, but then claimed he was too ill to be sent for trial.

Aribert Heim (left) and Soeren Kam, a former member of the Nazi SS (right) are among other alleged Nazi war criminals being tracked

Austria's government re-iterated their stance yesterday, saying the Ministry of Justice had proved he was not capable enough to go before a court and answer questions.

Asner denies being a war criminal and says he was too low in rank to make life-or-death decisions.

"It is not true. It's hilarious. I didn't have anything to do with it", he said.

"I was just an officer with the justice department. I never did anything bad against anybody."

Asner is among ten alleged Nazi war criminals sought by The Simon Wiesenthal Centre.

Others include Aribert Heim, a former doctor suspected of injecting prisoners with lethal drugs and 87-year-old Soeren Kam, wanted for killing anti-Nazi journalist Carl Henrik Clemmensen in 1943.

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