Posted on 06/16/2005 8:34:34 PM PDT by Destro
Holocaust survivors' lawsuit against Vatican proceeds
Matt C. Abbott
June 14, 2005
From a news release dated June 14, 2005:
Vatican dealt another legal setback in Holocaust claims lawsuit
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has denied a Vatican petition for reconsideration and has shown no interest in a Vatican request for an extraordinary en banc hearing of the Ninth Circuit.
This follows the Ninth Circuit's April 18, 2005 ruling that Holocaust survivors will be permitted to continue their claims against the Vatican for an accounting and restitution of the so-called Ustasha, or Croatian treasury, consisting of funds plundered from former Yugoslavia during the Second World War.
The majority of the victims of genocide in Croatia during the Second World War were Orthodox Christian Serbs, over 500,000 of whom were liquidated by the Croatian Ustasha with the backing of some Roman Catholic clerics.
The Ninth Circuit also issued an amended opinion which indicated the Italian Peace Treaty of 1947 with the Allies likely did not preclude the lawsuit because the Vatican was not a signatory to that treaty.
According to attorneys for the plaintiffs, this latest decision will hopefully provide momentum to resolve this lawsuit for the Holocaust survivors, many of whom are elderly and frail.
"The Vatican talks about reconciliation with Orthodox Christians but is playing a despicable waiting game for the last survivors of the Yugoslav Holocaust to expire," said attorney Jonathan Levy.
Background information on this case can be found at www.vaticanbankclaims.com.
Matt C. Abbott is the former executive director of the Illinois Right to Life Committee and the former director of public affairs for the Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League. He is a Catholic journalist and commentator. He can be reached at mattcabbott@hotmail.com.
http://www.vaticanbankclaims.com/home.html
Introduction to the Vatican Bank Claims
Alperin v. Vatican Bank was originally filed in Federal Court in San Francisco in November 1999. The plaintiffs are concentration camp survivors of Serb, Jewish, and Ukrainian background and their relatives as well as organizations representing over 300,000 Holocaust victims.
The plaintiffs seek an accounting and restitution of the Nazi Croatian Treasury that according to the US State Department was illicitly transferred to the Vatican bank and other banks after the end of the war.
Name defendants currently include the Vatican Bank, Franciscan Order, and the Croatian Liberation Movement. These defendants combined to conceal assets looted by the Croatian Nazis from concentration camp victims, Serbs, Jews, Roma and others between 1941-1945.
Levy v. CIA is a lawsuit filed under the Freedom of Information Act seeking release of US Intelligence agency files regarding the notorius Vatican spymaster, Fr. Krunoslav Draganovic. New records on Draganovic were released as a result of that lawsuit in 2001.
About the Attorneys
Jonathan Levy is licensed in California and the District of Columbia has represented organizations and individuals in a variety of Holocaust and World War II related lawsuits including banking, insurance, and slave labor matters.
Tom Easton is a veteran civil rights attorney in Northern California. Tom has traveled extensively in Russia and Europe and holds a Masters degree in History.
Of Counsel
K. Lee Boyd is an Associate Professor at Pepperdine University Law School and a graduate of Harvard Law School. Lee is the author of several articles on International Law and does pro bono work in international litigation
Milosh D. Milenkovich is president of a worldwide Serbian organization and an attorney in Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Milenkovich came to the United States from Yugoslavia in 1954.
How about a Holocaust lawsuit against Durbin???!!!
G.G....More info on the subject.
Since it is late and I am an old guy who is getting real sleepy ... would you explain it to them???
Thank you Destro.
Ninth Circus Court of Appeals
More info on the lawsuit here.
Now, you know more about muslims.
Thanks. -- Did Albright's father ever return the paintings (as I recall ) that he stole (allegedly ?) from Jews in Europe ? I think he was sued for return of paintings.
Well, good night, friend.
In generalk - in cases of crimes against humanity any court on earth that signed into such a treaty has jurisdiction on this matter - or something like that.
So since Albright is Jewish and the pictures are in her possession,what's the problem?
Did not know that.Thanks for the info.
Interesting. Maybe I missed it, but what is the primary complaint in the lawsuit? Is it the money transfered to the Vatican bank?
I think so - link to the party suing is provided above.
The plaintiffs seek an accounting and restitution of the Nazi Croatian Treasury that according to the US State Department was illicitly transferred to the Vatican bank and other banks after the end of the war.
...defendants currently include the Vatican Bank, Franciscan Order, and the Croatian Liberation Movement. These defendants combined to conceal assets looted by the Croatian Nazis...
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