Russian youths suspected of racist killing-report

MOSCOW, March 6 (Reuters) Russian police have detained a group of youths suspected of killing an Uzbek migrant worker while filming the attack on a mobile telephone, Interfax news agency reported today.

The four are supporters of far-right extremist groups and are suspected of inflicting fatal stab wounds on the victim out of racial hatred, the agency said, citing prosecutors in the southern Russian region of Orenburg.

Russia has seen a spate of violent racist attacks that tap into widespread resentment against immigrants -- many dark-skinned Muslims from ex-Soviet states -- coming to Russia in large numbers to work in the booming economy.

Human rights group Amnesty International said in a 2006 report that violent racism was out of control in Russia.

''In the course of preliminary investigations proof was obtained that the crime was carried out by individuals who support the ideology of extremist movements and promote ideas of nationalism and hatred,'' Interfax quoted a prosecutor as saying.

It said the suspects, who are under 18 although their exact ages are not immediately clear, will be formally charged with racially motivated murder later this week.

REUTERS MS PM1538