Germany's BND intelligence agency knew Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann was hiding in Buenos Aires as early as 1952, according to a media report.

The newspaper Bild said it obtained BND files from 1952 indicating the agency believed he was in Argentina. The paper successfully sued the German government to force it to release the information.

The weekly Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported Saturday that it took Germany six years to inform the Central Intelligence Agency in the United States of his whereabouts, according to CIA documents made public in 2006.

Eichmann, the Nazi leader who orchestrated the Holocaust, was kidnapped by Mossad agents in 1960 and brought to Israel for trial. He was convicted and hanged in 1962.

Revelation 'disturbing'

The American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants said it was "disturbing" that Eichmann's whereabouts may have been known.

"Equally disturbing is the continued unwillingness of the BND to release the documents which could shed further light on this sad history and other questions related to the fate of Nazis after the war," a statement said.

"The question must be asked whether BND files will reveal assistance and aid given to these Nazis to escape and evade justice? History and memory demand the answer to this question."

The BND did not return calls to news agencies seeking comment.

Author: Martin Kuebler (AFP, AP)
Editor: Kyle James