A delegation of the Jewish Nazi Victims Organizations of America presented yesterday to the German Consulate here a protest against West Germany’s plans to permit the statute of limitations for prosecution of murders to take effect next May 8 for Nazi war criminals.
Dr. Claus Curtius, the West German Consul-General in New York, told the delegation that he knew of “no legal or constitutional reason” why the Bonn Parliament should not act to extend the deadline for another 10 years. He told the delegation that, even if the Parliament did not do so, a judge “can and will” order proceedings after May 8 in any case where a reasonable suspicion “has been felt before May 8.” He added that he nevertheless felt “most strongly” that every Nazi war criminal should be brought to justice.
He also told the delegation that many sections of the German people wanted the prosecutions to be ended. He accepted a brief from the delegation and said, after the two hour meeting, that he would inform his Government of everything said at the meeting.
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