A list of 18 Nazis who found haven in Argentina after World War II, compiled by leaders of the Argentine Jewish community, is probably “just the tip of the iceberg,” according to Manuel Tenenbaum, director of the Latin American Jewish Congress.
Tenenbaum, reached by telephone in Buenos Aires, said the Jewish community is optimistic that the Argentine government will do its utmost to bring these accused war criminals to justice.
Failure to do so, he said, would open up Argentina to worldwide condemnation and embarrassment. President Carlos Menem had promised to create and agency to locate and prosecute other Nazis living in Argentina after ABC Television’s “PrimeTime Live” located Erich Priebke there.
Priebke, wanted for war crimes in Italy, was placed under house arrest following the program, and Italy began the paperwork necessary to extradite him from Argentina.
Another alleged war criminal, Reinhard Kopps, who pointed “PrimeTime Live” to Priebke, has reportedly fled the country. It is believed he may be in Chile. There are known ties between fugitive Nazis in the two countries, Tenenbaum said.
Tenenbaum believes Argentina will follow through on promises to extradite wanted war criminals, or that it will pass legislation to prosecute them or extradite them if such laws do not yet exist.
‘IT IS GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY’
“My opinion is that the government understands that it is good for the country and its international standing to put an end to this business,” he said.
Other accused Nazis who are believed by the Jewish community to be in Argentina are: Abraham von Kipp of Holland, an SS officer in Germany and Holland who was condemned to death by a special court in Amsterdam in 1949. The sentence was later commuted to life in prison. Kipp disappeared a couple of years ago after Holland requested his extradition.
* Erich Schroeder, an SS officer who was head of the Gestapo in Portugal. He left Portugal in 1948 with a Swiss travel document to come to Argentina.
* Gregory Rozman, former bishop of Ljubljana, Slovenia, accused of collaborating with Italian occupation forces. He was decorated in 1942 by the fascist government of Benito Mussolini.
* Franjo Holy, condemned by Yugoslavia for war crimes.
* Vinko Nikolic, Croatian war criminal. The Yugoslav government requested his extradition twice in 1947.
* Jose Berkovic, Mirko Eterovic, Ivo Bogdan, Daniel Uvanovic, Marko Colak, Esteban Lackovic, Yakov N. Yovovic, Maks Luburic: condemned by Yugoslav tribunals. The Argentine government rejected requests for their extradition in 1947.
* Marton Homonnay, charged as a war criminal by the Hungarian Justice Ministry. He is suspected of having been an Arrow Cross leader serving where people were tortured or executed for political or racial reasons. Hungary requested his extradition in March 1950 but received no response.
Pierre Henri Albert Dave Adam, condemned to death by the Belgian War Council for collaborating with the enemy. The Belgian government requested his extradition in 1947.
Lecomte, no first name given, a former mayor of Chinay, Belgium, which condemned him to death.
Andre Vandenberghe, condemned to death by the Belgian War Council in March 1945, for having taken up arms against Belgium and for collaborating with the enemy.
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