Neo-Nazi crime in Germany has risen sharply this year in tandem with the increasing brutality of attacks by rightists, a German newspaper said Tuesday.

Almost 8,000 crimes by the far-right were reported during the first eight months of this year, compared with 6,605 for the same period in 2005, said Berlin's Tagesspiegel paper quoting German Interior Ministry figures provided to a member of parliament.

A total of 452 violent neo-Nazi attacks were reported in Germany from January to August of this year, leaving 325 people injured. For the same period in 2005 there were 363 attacks and 302 injuries, the newspaper said.

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A statement by the interior ministry confirmed the latest figures for rightist crime issued in August but cautioned the data was still "preliminary" and might later be adjusted.

"At the same time the fact that the number of violent attacks has risen by a not inconsiderable number is causing concern," said the statement.

The new figures show "the necessity of intensified measures being carried out by the ministry" against neo-Nazis, the statement said.

Germany's domestic intelligence service, the Verfassungsschutz, says about 40,000 people belong to far-right groups in the country, of whom over 10,000 are deemed to be violent skinheads. The total German population is 82 million.