Holocaust Denier Gets Three Years in Jail

AP ^ | February 20, 2006 | VERONIKA OLEKSYN

[Anti-Bubba182]

VIENNA, Austria -- Right-wing British historian David Irving was sentenced to three years in prison Monday after admitting to an Austrian court that he denied the Holocaust _ a crime in the country where Hitler was born.

Irving, who pleaded guilty and then insisted during his one-day trial that he now acknowledged the Nazis' World War II slaughter of 6 million Jews, had faced up to 10 years behind bars. Before the verdict, Irving conceded he had erred in contending there were no gas chambers at the Auschwitz concentration camp.

[snip}

But despite his apparent epiphany, Irving, 67, maintained he had never questioned the Holocaust.

"I've never been a Holocaust denier and I get very angry when I'm called a Holocaust denier," he said.

Irving's lawyer said he would appeal the sentence.

"I consider the verdict a little too stringent. I would say it's a bit of a message trial," attorney Elmar Kresbach said.

State prosecutor Michael Klackl declined to comment on the verdict. In his closing arguments, however, he criticized Irving for "putting on a show" and for not admitting that the Nazis killed Jews in an organized and systematic manner.[snip]

Irving, handcuffed and wearing a navy blue suit, arrived at the court carrying one of his most controversial books _ "Hitler's War," which challenges the extent of the Holocaust........."

[snip]

"He is everything but a historian ... He is a dangerous falsifier of history," Klackl said, calling Irving's statements an "abuse of freedom of speech."

Klackl said the Austrian law does not "hinder historical works."

"You have to look at each case individually," he said. "The point is, what is someone trying to do? It's the intent."...."

[RWCon]

But so effin' what?

[Admin Moderator]

DeaconNoGood aka ASTM366 banned.

[Peter Libra]

this type of thing would happen to people for saying what they think,right or wrong....

Thank goodness I caught your post. It gives me a chance to have my FINAL say on this subject. I will not post on it again, it is not worth the emotional strain.

Irving has done the world of free speech in one sense, no favours. I have read so called anti-fascists, anti-racists on other webs. Irving touched them off. They are just waiting for an excuse to vilify we followers of Edmund Burke's dictum- re free speech. I have read of the louts of the anti-racist action group in Toronto. Funded by the former Liberal government. Firebombed a guys house and all.

Their hearts are Fascist to the core. What a way to crush the individual. That's it for me. P.S. Accessed your posts re Islam- keep up the good work.

[son of caesar]

YOu are quite correct. It is fascinating that they use Nazi tactics to quell Nazi thought. Remember, Austria is the quaint little land that actually gave us dear old adolph. As to arresting and trying the Iranian president, ahah, not a chance, muslims fight back, irving is an old man on his last legs. Big difference.

[GingisK]

Do you really think Austria has people who know nothing of the Holocaust and who might be misled by Irving?

Same goes for the entire world. It puzzles me that anyone would give a crap what an idiot says, even if in a book. To put someone in jail for this is truly overboard.

To think that Europeans think Americans are nuts...

[Al Simmons]

The main point is that Irving, a British citizen, knowingly CHOSE to violate Austrian law while visiting there - what we think of that law personally is immaterial - "When in Rome, do as the Romans" goes the old saying

If you go to a foreign country, you do so under a promise to OBEY LOCAL LAW.

Irving got exactly what he asked for and what he deserved.

I have had one personal experience with an Austrian pro-Nazi Holocaust denier(it is interesting to note that many of them had a father or grandfather in the Nazi party or in the SS).

Based on this one individual I have formed an opinion that these types are the lowest form of human SCUM on planet earth.

[churchillbuff]

Irving got exactly what he asked for and what he deserved."""

No. He's a jerk. But throwing people in jail for saying lies about history is Stalinist and Fascist. It may be the law in Austria, but that doesn't mean we can't and shouldn't denounce that law - - just as I'll bet you denounce some laws that exist in, say, China, North Korea or Iran.

[Al Simmons]

He ASKED for it. If the Austrians want to have this law, you must obey it when you travel there. If the Austrians want to change it, that is their business. Irving is not an Austrian and he got what he asked for an deserved.

I suspect that you do not much care for the Eurocrats telling us that we shouldn't have the death penalty, do you? Well, whats good for the goose is good for the gander. Let them make and enforce their own laws.

Remove the pole from your own eye before you seek to remove the speck from your brothers; By criticizing this Austrian law you are legitimizing the decadent degenerates abroad who criticize aspects of our legal system that are none of THEIR business.....