Son of suspected Minnesota ex-Nazi says father innocent

The son of a Minnesota man who’s the subject of an arrest warrant issued by a Polish court says his father is innocent of any war crimes.

A judge in Poland said Wednesday that a court issued the warrant for 98-year-old Michael Karkoc, whom The Associated Press previously identified as an ex-commander in an SS-led unit that burned Polish villages and killed civilians in World War II.

The warrant opens the way for Poland to seek his extradition from the US.

Karkoc’s son, Andriy Karkoc, says the family is calling on the judge to release any evidence that may implicate his father. He says if prosecutors have no proof, the arrest warrant is meaningless.

The son also points out that German prosecutors declined in 2015 to seek Karkoc’s extradition, concluding he was unfit to stand trial.

— AP