[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 149 (Thursday, September 18, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S9017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     COMMENDING DR. EPHRAIM ZUROFF

 Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to commend Dr. Ephraim 
Zuroff and the Simon Wiesenthal Center for their efforts to track down 
the last Nazi war criminals from World War II. Their work is enormously 
important, both in bringing the guilty to justice and preventing future 
acts of genocide. The statute of limitations does not--must not--expire 
on crimes against humanity. Earlier this year, I introduced the World 
War II War Crimes Accountability Act with Senator Nelson, which I hope 
will help Dr. Zuroff and the Simon Wiesenthal Center in their noble 
effort.
  One of the main targets of this effort is Milivoj Asner, who during 
World War II was the fascist police chief of Pozega, Yugoslavia. 
Serving the Nazi-allied Ustasha regime in his native Croatia, Asner 
presided over the destruction of the local Jewish, Serb, and Gypsy 
populations. After the war ended, Asner fled to Austria, where he lived 
in obscurity until he was finally charged with war crimes by Croatia in 
2005. His extradition has been delayed, however, by Austrian federal 
and local bureaucratic obstruction. Austrian authorities have claimed 
that Asner is in poor health, though apparently that infirmity did not 
stop him from attending a Euro 2008 soccer game this past summer, where 
he was spotted by a British newspaper. In light of this evidence, the 
local and national Austrian authorities must summon the political will 
to bring Asner to justice.
  The Simon Wiesenthal Center launched Operation: Last Chance in 2002 
to identify and assist in the prosecution of the remaining Nazi war 
criminals still at large. Dr. Zuroff, who has been leading this effort, 
should be highly commended for his outstanding efforts in bringing the 
most guilty Nazis to justice. Of these, Asner is near the top of his 
list.
  Even today, the crimes of people such as Asner in the service of pro-
Nazi regimes strain our understanding of hate. National Socialist 
Germany today is an icon remembered only for its brutality, its mantra 
of genocide, and its culture of racism. And those last Nazis, who are 
waiting out their last days under the coming twilight, must not be 
allowed to go quietly into the night, as did too many of their victims. 
For the souls that were lost, and even more for those that remain, 
there must be justice. I commend Dr. Zuroff and the Simon Wiesenthal 
Center in the highest possible terms, and urge the U.S. Government to 
do all it can to help them in their cause.

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