E/CN.4/2000/16 page 21 necessary to hospitalize him. It appears that the group of aggressors - youths of approximately 17 years of age - were led by two men in their thirties who were the principal authors of the attack. Other similar acts have occurred in recent months; this has led the parties of the Left and the trade unions to demand that the Government delegate should open an inquiry to determine whether neo-Nazi groups were implicated in those incidents. Government reply 81. A band of skinheads, after chasing several immigrants, beat a young Moroccan, injuring him (18 March 1997). At about midnight a gang of about a dozen skinheads on the loose in the neighbourhood of the jetty chased several immigrants, then went on to hunt down a young Moroccan, Watiby M.D., and beat him with baseball bats and chains causing injuries for which he had to be hospitalized. It appears that the group of attackers, which was made up of youths of about age 17, was led by two men aged about 30, who were the actual perpetrators of the attack. Similar incidents have occurred during recent months. That situation has led the Left-wing parties and the trade unions to urge the Public Prosecutor to open an inquiry in order to determine the responsibility of neo-Nazi groups in the incidents. 82. Intervention by the police. At the request of intervention section 091, a police patrol went to the spot and took the injured man to hospital for treatment; he remained under observation for a few hours. A report on his condition was established. The patrol made a report on its intervention to the department for the receipt of allegations in the principal prefecture; the latter transmitted it, under serial No. 5965, to investigating magistrate No. 4 in Murcia. The provincial information squad continued its inquiries, but without result. 83. Remarks. At the time this case gave rise to the dissemination of a great deal of information alleging that the case was clearly racist in character. However, the police are of the opinion that in fact the Moroccan made a gesture of sexual provocation at a young Spaniard travelling around on a moped with a group of friends. The young Moroccan did not cooperate with the police investigators - it has been difficult to trace him, since he has never given his address, even though his papers were in order - and he gave the impression of having been manipulated. Likewise, he did not give the names of the persons implicated in the case. (e) Zaragoza 84. Five skinheads tie up a Senegalese national and dump him on waste ground (8 April 1997). A young Senegalese, Ismaila N., was accosted early in the morning by a group of five skinheads; after hitting him on the head, they bound his hands and feet with wire and left him on a patch of waste ground. The young man was found the next morning showing symptoms of hypothermia and was taken to hospital. Government reply 85. Complaint No. 3667, lodged on 8 April 1997 at the central police station in Zaragoza, states that Ismaila Ndiaye, a Senegalese national, born on 2 June 1972 at Grobel (Senegal), the son of Sernioai and Abinavi, residing at the time of the alleged facts at 1 Plaza Santo Dominguito del Val, third floor, left, was proceeding along Vía Urrea in Zaragoza at