Hungary: Nazi-era war crime suspect detained

[July 18, 2012]  BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) -- Hungarian prosecutors say they have taken into custody, and charged with war crimes, a man suspected of taking part in the deportation of Jews in 1944.

Prosecutors say that Laszlo Csatary, whose case was brought to their attention by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, was taken into custody on Wednesday.

They say Csatary was a police officer in the Slovakian city of Kosice, at a time part of Hungary, when Jews were deported to Auschwitz and other death camps and that he was present when the trains were loaded and sent on their way.

Prosecutors want the 97-year-old suspect held under house arrest, which will also allow authorities to confiscate Csatary's passport.

Prosecutors said that considering Csatary's age, he is in a good physical and mental state.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.