BERLIN MAGISTRATES HAVE ISSUED AN ARREST WARRANT FOR AN ITALIAN WHO CLAIMED HE WAS BEATEN UP BY RIGHT-WING THUGS IN A RACIST ATTACK OVER THE WEEKEND, JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAID FRIDAY, DPA REPORTED. THE WARRANT ACCUSES GIANNI CONGIA, 30, OF FAKING THE ASSAULT HE SAID TOOK PLACE LATE SATURDAY IN THE BERLIN SUBURB OF PRENZLAUER BERG - AN AREA NOT NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH NEO-NAZI ACTIVITY. CONGIA WAS ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL WITH A BROKEN KNEECAP CAUSED, HE SAID, BY BLOWS FROM A BASEBALL BAT WIELDED BY THREE SHAVEN-HEADED MEN WHO DEMANDED TO KNOW HIS NATIONALITY. BUT INVESTIGATIONS BY POLICE SHOWED HIS INJURIES WERE NOT THE RESULT OF AN ATTACK, BUT OF THE ITALIAN FALLING FROM A RAILWAY PLATFORM WHILE DRUNK. CCTV CAMERAS INSTALLED AT THE ALEXANDERPLATZ STATION SHOWED CONGIA STUMBLING ONTO THE TRACKS, BUT ABLE TO PULL HIMSELF BACK ONTO THE PLATFORM AND LIMP AWAY. --More
