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Last update - 22:05 22/06/2008
Jewish teen brutally beaten in apparent anti-Semitic attack in Paris
By Reuters
Tags: Jews, anti-Semitism, France

A 17-year-old French Jew was attacked on Saturday night in Paris, an assault condemned by President Nicolas Sarkozy and said by Jewish organizations to be an act of anti-Semitism.

The young man, identified as Rudy Haddad by one Jewish organization, was attacked by youths of African origin, a police source said, and the National Agency of Vigilance Against Anti-emitism said he had been attacked with iron bars.

Police said five youths had been held for questioning, and one police source told Reuters the victim was suffering "serious neurological problems."
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The Union of French Jewish Students said Haddad had been identified as Jewish because he was wearing a kippa (skullcap), and had suffered several broken ribs and a fractured skull and was in intensive care at a hospital in central Paris.

"The victim was wearing a kippa and was on his way back home when his attackers, after identifying him as Jewish, started to beat him," the union said.

The number of attackers was not known, varying from 6 or 7 to 30, depending on sources. Haddad's father told French radio RTL there were around 15 attackers.

Two police sources said the attack took place right after a skirmish between two groups of youths, one Jewish and the other of North African origin. They said it was unclear whether Haddad had taken part in the confrontation.

They said such skirmishes were a regular feature in the multi-confessional Buttes Chaumont neighbourhood in the 19th arrondissement of Paris.

The assault was immediately condemned by French President Nicola Sarkozy, who began a three-day visit to Israel on Sunday aimed at reinforcing his
image as an ally of the state.

"[Sarkozy] assures the victim and his family of his support and renews his total determination to fight all forms of racism and anti-Semitism," said a statement from Sarkozy's office.

Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie expressed her "profound emotion" and announced in a statement the opening of an investigation to determine the circumstances of the attack.

A 23-year-old French Jew, Ilan Halimi, was found naked, tortured and covered in burns near Paris on February 13, 2006, after being held captive for three weeks. He died on the way to the hospital.

The crime shocked France and raised fears of surging anti-Semitism among French Muslims.

In February of this year, another Jewish teenager was tortured in the same town in which Halimi was killed, in yet another anti-Semitic attack.

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      1.   Teen brutally beaten in apparent anti-semitic attack in Paris 15:31  |  Marlene 22/06/08
      2.   SO it goes on.At least they did not torture him to death 15:32  |  PETER SM 22/06/08
      3.   "Youths of African origin..." 15:48  |  David 22/06/08
      4.   The French police arrested five attackers... 15:58  |  Paul Henzen 22/06/08
      5.   time has come to act normaly:let`s hit them back 15:59  |  golan 22/06/08
      6.   So it begins 16:05  |  Rachel Stevens 22/06/08
      7.   A FAKE ACCUSATION, AS USUAL 16:17  |  indrajaya 22/06/08
      8.   May The Iron Bars That Await These Criminals Be Even ... 16:18  |  Lavi 22/06/08
      9.   Europe is in trouble... 16:20  |  georges 22/06/08
      10.   ATerrible act... 16:40  |  Joe 22/06/08
      11.   what do u expect? 16:44  |  ClearCut 22/06/08
      12.   Fake accusation?????? 16:56  |  joseph theeboom 22/06/08
      13.   @indraya 16:56  |  tom 22/06/08
      14.   to indrajaya 16:57  |  El_Justiciero 22/06/08
      15.   #11 16:59  |  Jane 22/06/08
      16.   CLEAR CUT expect them to behave like human beings 17:01  |  PETER SM 22/06/08
      17.   Anti-semitic? 17:03  |  what an excuse 22/06/08
      18.   CLEAR CUT EXPECT them to behave like human beings 17:05  |  PETER SM 22/06/08
      19.   STEVENS if Arabs incresed production there would be no problems 17:08  |  PETER SM 22/06/08
      20.   The Jews of France must leave France 17:10  |  French Man 22/06/08
      21.   STEVENS this NOT the first time in France,so it does NOT begin 17:13  |  PETER SM 22/06/08
      22.   STEVENS this NOT the first time in France,so it does NOT begin 17:13  |  PETER SM 22/06/08
      23.   PAUL HENZEN""The victim was wearing a kippa" 17:20  |  PETER SM 22/06/08
      24.   Paul Hentzen #4 17:20  |  Anthony Fallon 22/06/08
      25.   #11 Clear Cut - Not really - HE WORE A KIPA 17:29  |  * BEN JABO 22/06/08
      26.   It is time to join JDL 17:37  |  Meir Weinstein 22/06/08
      27.   Re 3 18:02  |  Joe 22/06/08
      28.   indrajaya 18:14  |  Reuben 22/06/08
      29.   Racial Stevens 18:20  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/06/08
      30.   These poor African Muslims..what else could they do but attack 18:32  |  spade 22/06/08
      31.   16 is right 18:34  |  golan 22/06/08
      32.   to 17: dhimmis were persecuted before Israel exists is the answer 18:36  |  golan 22/06/08
      33.   FYI 18:41  |  JES 22/06/08
      34.   #7 Indrajaya: A FurtherStudy Of Islam Will Remove Your Confusion 18:53  |  Lavi 22/06/08
      35.   #12 Peter SM 19:02  |  Rachel Stevens 22/06/08
      36.   Jewish Chronicle Lond-6/20-Haredi LondonYouth beaten unconscious. 19:09  |  Alan SA 22/06/08
      37.   If he was attacked for being Jewish 19:20  |  wibism 22/06/08
      38.   It is sad enough that a young boy 19:21  |  Iris 22/06/08
      39.   peter sm 2 19:21  |  potobac 22/06/08
      40.   Racism 19:40  |  Bitin Dawg 22/06/08
      41.   As usual it has to take more than one..... 19:49  |  MJ 22/06/08
      42.   So, was this also "anti-zionist"? 19:52  |  Schtarker Yid 22/06/08
      43.   INDONESIAN MUSLIM 20:07  |  ankhfnkhonsu 22/06/08
      44.   attack 20:12  |  bobby goodman 22/06/08
      45.   Rachel Stevens-depraved 20:23  |  Stephen in New York 22/06/08
      46.   Arab/Muslem savigery on a clear display . 20:45  |  TOMY 22/06/08
      47.   @34, bitin dawg. biggest rasists in USA are blacks; everybody 20:53  |  vladimir 22/06/08
      48.   Tell Us 20:53  |  Yanatan 22/06/08
      49.   European Jews must start defending themselves. Wear a kippah 21:00  |  Freethinker 22/06/08
      50.   #35, Rachel Stevens 21:03  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/06/08
      51.   Dear #43 INDONESIAN MUSLIM 21:05  |  Ajay Kaur 22/06/08
      52.   WOULD JEWISH SARKOZY HV CONDEMNED IF AN ARAB WAS ATTACKED? 21:13  |  JACKAL 22/06/08
      53.   ONLY IN HAARETZ..... 21:16  |  Brant 22/06/08
      54.   # 1 Marlene - Keep visiting Europe! 21:18  |  Paul Henzen 22/06/08
      55.   as usual it take more then one 21:19  |  wh 22/06/08
      56.   PETER SM AUSTRALIA 21:28  |  Mona 22/06/08
      57.   Jew in Paris 21:32  |  Otto 22/06/08
      58.   Jew in Paris 21:32  |  Otto 22/06/08
      59.   Where is Human Rights Watch? 21:37  |  david 22/06/08
      60.   Prayers for this young man 21:49  |  Gina 22/06/08
      61.   MONA AND SICKENING CRIMES 21:53  |  Brant 22/06/08
      62.   Anti-semites are not human beings 22:13  |  JP 22/06/08
      63.   thanks indrajaya,your repugnant ignorance reflects directly upon 22:20  |  terrronator 22/06/08
      64.   Rachel Stevens - very depraved from you 22:22  |  JP 22/06/08
      65.   vladimir #47 thank you for having the nerve to say that 22:24  |  terrornator 22/06/08
      66.   # 43 ankhfnkhonsu,actually its called "the religion of piece" 22:26  |  terrornator 22/06/08
      67.   no rachel stevens # 35 its because most if not all muslim 22:33  |  terrornator 22/06/08
      68.   #3 David 23:07  |  Guy From NYC 22/06/08
      69.   #3 David 23:07  |  Guy From NYC 22/06/08
      70.   arabs in europe taking power 23:11  |  Avram 22/06/08
      71.   read indrajaya carefully