E/CN.4/1997/71 page 29 97. Four of the 15 youths who are known to be members of the “Alsace Corps” are said to have been arrested by the police, which seized right-wing extremist propaganda at their homes. The four young extremists reportedly admitted taking part in the incident. 98. The incidents were presumably motivated by racism. 2. Reply from the French Government, by letter dated 13 March 1996 99. On Saturday, 19 October 1994 a number of skinheads, some of whom belong to the “Alsace Corps”, gathered at the “le Tigre” bar in Sélestat, intending to go to Klingenthal village hall where a birthday party was being organized for pupils of the Feppel secondary school in Obernai. One member of the group, Olivier Fauchart, had in fact been asked by the party organizer to help keep order. 100. Before going to Klingenthal the skinheads first went to Obernai, where they were seen in two bars: the “Athic” and the “Byblos”. An hour after their arrival, they split into two groups: the first composed of Philippe Léger, Brun Adler, Raphaël Kaelbel, and Jean-Michel and Nicolas Broggi; the second comprising members of the “Alsace Corps”: Olivier Fauchart, Olivier Fassel, Jean Delarossa, Bertrand Neth and Mathieu Hart (a minor, against whom charges have been dropped). 101. The first group did not find the party to its taste and moved on to Colmar, while an argument broke out between the second group and some foreigners, including Mouai Megtait, Salah Eddine, Sinan Durdu, Amedh Mebrouk and Oscar Tan. No one was reported hurt, but a vehicle belonging to Taha Mebrouk was partly destroyed. 102. The group then returned to Obernai. One of them provoked Ali Polat, who had just had dinner in a Turkish restaurant belonging to Mehmet Baschoroz. Mr. Polat was chased by the group and took refuge in the restaurant where damage was caused: the windows were broken, the premises were bombarded with empty bottles and the customers sprayed with tear gas. Ali Polat was hurt, and was off work for five days. 103. up: Searches of the homes of the four members of the “Alsace Corps” turned (a) Neo-Nazi, racist, extreme right-wing propaganda and correspondence demonstrating the paramilitary and Nazi nature of the structure of this group of skinheads; (b) Pick axe handles, knuckledusters, etc.; and (c) Group photographs portraying neo-Nazi emblems and poses. 104. The examinations of the witnesses identified Olivier Fauchart as the instigator of the racist operation in Klingenthal which had been planned several days earlier at a meeting at Meinau football ground. Fauchart did not take part directly, unlike Jean Delarossa, Olivier Fassel and Bertrand Neth, who were actively involved.