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Friday November 20, 1998

Vandalism follows stabbing of Czech Jew

PRAGUE (JTA) -- The Czech Republic has been hit with its second act of anti-Semitic violence in less than one week.
On Wednesday night of last week, headstones in a cemetery in the eastern Czech town of Trutnov were spray-painted with the words

The Federation of Czech Jewish Communities does not believe any Jews live in the economically depressed town.

The Czech government was quick to condemn the act.

"State authorities will do everything in their power to catch the perpetrators," said Libor Roucek, a government spokesman.

The vandalism came just days after a teenage skinhead was arrested and charged with stabbing a Czech Jewish soldier in Prague.

The Jewish federation's executive secretary said he believed the Nov. 8 attack was the first anti-Semitic criminal act since the fall of communism in 1989.

"It's a very alarming incident," said Tomas Kraus.

The 17-year-old suspect was charged under the country's hate crimes laws with attempting racially motivated murder and promoting fascism. Since the accused was a minor at the time of the alleged crime, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The 22-year-old soldier is reported to be in stable condition in a Prague hospital.

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