German far-right crimes up in 2004 says paper

BERLIN - The number of right-wing extremist crimes in Germany surged last year to its highest level since 2000, Der Tagesspiegel newspaper reported, citing government figures to be published in mid-May.

It said 12,051 criminal acts, committed mostly by neo-Nazis and skinheads, were recorded in last year compared with 10,795 the previous year and 15,951 in 2000.

Of those, 776 were incidents of bodily harm and other acts of violence, 17 more than in 2003, the Tagesspiegel said in a preview of its Wednesday edition.

An Interior Ministry spokeswoman said she could not immediately confirm the numbers but that final figures would be presented by Interior Minister Otto Schily in mid May.

Germany's domestic intelligence services estimate that more than 100 far-right groups are active in Germany, with thousands of extremists ready to use violence.

Far-right parties such as the NPD made significant electoral gains last year and neo-Nazis staged one of their biggest demonstrations in February.

- REUTERS