Legal Commentary

Deported Ex-Nazi Guard Freed in Austria

By Jeralyn

Yesterday, I wrote about the deportation of former Nazi Guard Josias Kumph, now 83. Having lost his years of appeals in the U.S., ICE officials removed him from his Wisconsin home and deported him to Austria.

Today, Austria says it has freed Kumph:

Austrian justice ministry spokeswoman Katharina Swoboda said Vienna had warned U.S. authorities in the past that Austria would be unable to prosecute Kumpf because the statute of limitations relating to his crimes had expired. The main reason was that Kumpf was younger than 20 at the time of the crimes.

"We have always pointed out to the United States that he cannot be charged here with the crimes of which he is accused," Swoboda said.

Kumph is not a citizen of Austria. He was born in Serbia. He came to the U.S. from Austria. Even though he will be considered an "illegal alien" in Austria, he will be allowed to stay because he cannot be extradited to another country.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 21, 2009 (boomark / email).