Yahoo! Nazi auction trial finally reaches an end

In one continent at least

More than four years after the start of the Yahoo! Nazi auction trial, the end to the whole business looks to be in sight. It concerns what is doubtless one of the last decisions of the case - at least in respect to the French tribunals.

The Paris Court of Appeal has confirmed the former president of Yahoo!, Timothy Koogle, has been cleared. He had been accused by Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l'amitié des peoples (Movement against racism and for understanding between peoples) and a group of survivors from Auschwitz and other concentration camps.

Both had accused the US boss of 'justifying war crimes and crimes against humanity', for having permitted the sale of Nazi objects on its auction site. One of the charges had already been rejected in 2003. The court of appeal used the same arguments this week to order the acquittal of the former Yahoo! CEO.

While Yahoo! has been spared any charges in France, a barrage of cases is still being pursued in the US. The US tribunals will have to decide if the decision of a French judge can equally be used in the States.