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Racist and anti-Semitic violence in France nearly doubled in 2004, hitting its highest level in a decade and showing no sign of slowing, according to a study to be published Monday.

Jews and Muslims were the main victims of 1,565 recorded threats and violent attacks in 2004, up from 833 a year earlier, according to the National Consultative Commission of Human Rights annual report, which was being submitted Monday to Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.

It was the highest recorded number of attacks since 1994, said the report, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.

Anti-Semitic acts rose to 970, compared with 601 the year before, the report said. Most attackers were from an "Arab-Muslim background," the newspaper Liberation reported.

Schools were an area where anti-Semitic incidents were "very present," the report noted, adding that "anti-Semitism is becoming established in a continuous and lasting manner."

Threats and attacks against Muslims more than doubled to 595 last year, up from 232, with the majority committed by far-right supporters.

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