Bail Is Denied La Habra Man Sought as Nazi
A La Habra man sought by the West German government on charges of murdering World War II concentration camp prisoners while transporting them to a camp in Austria was denied bail Monday.
Defense attorney Ronald G. Parker contended that one-time Nazi prison guard Bruno Karl Blach, 69, should remain free because the shootings he is accused of took place in Austria rather than West Germany.
The attorney also maintained that Blach could not be prosecuted because he was born in Czechoslovakia and was not a German citizen.
In denying bail, U.S. Magistrate Venetta S. Tassopoulos ruled that such issues can be debated at an extradition hearing next month.
Blach said in an affidavit: “I have no intent nor motivation to flee this country or this area. In fact, I would have no country or other area to flee to, in that I am stateless.”
During the hearing, however, a federal prosecutor disclosed that Blach recently applied for a West German passport that, if granted, would have allowed him to travel almost anywhere in the world.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
