German state prosecutors said on Tuesday two neo-Nazis were being detained after a weekend attack in which a teenager of Ethiopian origin suffered a fractured skull.
The attack in Schoenefeld, on the south-eastern outskirts of Berlin, was clearly motivated by xenophobia, said prosecutors in Potsdam, capital of the state of Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin.
They said an investigation into allegations of inflicting grievous bodily harm had been opened against the two men, aged 21 and 23, who both have earlier convictions for the same crime.
Two teenagers also suspected of taking part in the attack have been placed in special detention for juvenile offenders, the prosecutors said.
The group allegedly attacked three youths, including the 15-year-old boy of Ethiopian origin, in the early hours of Sunday morning.
His skull was fractured when he was hit on the head with a stone.
Witnesses heard the attackers shout “Filthy niggers!” and “Germany for Germans. Get out foreigners!” during the brawl.
Germany has seen a spate of apparently race-related attacks in recent weeks that led to fears that right-wingers could ruin the country’s hard-won reputation for tolerance as it hosts the Soccer World Cup 2006.
About 30 suspects were arrested after a dozen foreigners, most of African origin, were attacked in towns in eastern and north-eastern Germany.
A government report released last month noted that right-wing violence had increased by 23% in 2005. — AFP