Neo-Nazi attacker rearrested

Germany has seen an upsurge in racist violence this year

Four youths, including one convicted of a racist attack in 1999, have been arrested in eastern Germany over the stabbing of a young man with Asian features.

Police said early on Tuesday in Guben near the Polish border four men shouted anti-foreigner slogans at the victim and then attacked him with a knife, leaving him with a stab wound in the back.

The 20-year old victim has an Asian mother and is of German origin.

One of the youths, identified only as David B, had been sentenced to 200 hours of community service with a court warning for his involvement in a racist attack in 1999.

His repeat attack has provoked criticism from the press and public figures over the previous court ruling.

Second attack

Last month 11 youths, including David B, were convicted for a mob attack on two foreign residents in the town in 1999.

The Government has made moves to ban the NPD

One Algerian man attempting to flee the attack, crashed through a glass door and bled to death.

A memorial to him in the town has been repeatedly vandalised.

David B was found guilty of charges of serious bodily injury, vandalism and duress and was sentenced to 200 hours of community service, with a court warning.

Only three of those charged were given prison terms.

Outrage

The justice minister in the state of Brandenburg, where Guben is situated, has called for tougher sentences on youths convicted of extremist crimes.

Meanwhile the mass-circulation daily newspaper Bild Zeitung asked the judge who convicted the youths in the 1999 attack, "How much understanding can the brutal Nazi David B expect from you this time?"

Germany has suffered a sharp rise in extremist attacks against foreigners and Jews this year.

There were over 600 attacks each month on average up to July but that increased to over 1,100 in August.

The government has launched an initiative to ban the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party.