
LENS: A young Austrian who took close-up pictures of a brutal attack on a French policeman after a World Cup match on Sunday was released without charge after about 30 hours in custody, Justice sources said today. quot;Visibly frightened by the turn of events, the young man co-operated totally,quot; said one source. The 17-year-old, said to be fascinated by German hooligans, was arrested at the Stade de France in Paris during Italy8217;s match against Austria on Tuesday. He was identified by Austrian hooligan quot;spottersquot; and led away at half-time.
The teenager, whose name has not been disclosed, had taken photographs of the attack by a group of German hooligans on gendarme Daniel Nivel, who was left brain-damaged and in a coma.
AERIAL SURVEILLANCE: Security forces planned to foil possible demonstrations by using aerial surveillance at the United States vs Yugoslavia World Cup match at the La Beaujoire stadium, Nantes. Four helicopters were to be used to prevent any aircraft from flying over thestadium, CFO officials said. A radar system was also to monitor the area and lookouts were to be posted on four high-level water towers. Officials said it was the fifth World Cup finals match at which aerial surveillance has been used, but the first in Nantes.
Officials fear anti-Yugoslav protests following a demonstration against Yugoslav policies on the steps of the Nantes Opera House yesterday. There have been widespread international protests about alleged Yugoslav persecution of minority Albanians in the Serbian province of Kosovo.