Jeff Rense interviews convicted thought criminal, former political prisoner of conscious, painter and writer Ernst Zundel.

Ernst Zundel, who sometimes describes himself as a "Swabian peasant," is an outgoing, good-humored man who is blessed with a rare combination of unflagging optimism and practical ability. He maintains this infectious spirit even under very trying conditions. He is an unusually alert and sensitive individual with a keen understanding of human nature. He knows how to persuade, cajole and encourage others to give their best for the greater good. He inspires confidence, loyalty and affection.

Zundel is probably best known for his central role in the "Holocaust Trials" of 1985 and 1988. He was brought to court in Toronto on a charge of "publishing false news," and specifically for publishing a reprint edition of a booklet entitled Did Six Million Really Die?.

Zundel's two lengthy trials - the 1985 trial lasted two months, and the 1988 trial lasted four months - have been the closest thing anywhere to full scale debates on the Holocaust issue. For the first time ever, "Holocaust survivors" and Holocaust historians were closely and critically questioned under oath about their claims and views.

On February 5, 2003, Ernst Zundel was arrested at their quiet home in the mountain region of eastern Tennessee . He was seized on the pretext that he had violated immigration regulations, or had missed an interview date with US immigration authorities, even though he had entered the US legally, was married to an American citizen, had no criminal record, and was acting diligently, and in full accord with the law, to secure status as a permanent legal resident.

After being held for two weeks, he was deported to Canada . For two years -- from mid-February 2003 to March 1, 2005 - he was held in solitary confinement in the Toronto West Detention Centre, on the pretext that he is a threat to national security.

His arrest and detention generated wide media attention. A few Canadian newspapers, including Toronto 's prestigious Globe and Mail, and several independent analysts, acknowledged the injustice of his incarceration on an empty pretext.

On March 1st, 2010, after having been jailed for seven years and three weeks for his beliefs, in three prisons, in three states, on two continents, Ernst Zündel was released from Mannheim penitentiary.

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