Some attacks may have 'element' of racism: Australian envoy

Australia today admitted that some cases of attacks on Indian students in that country may have an "element" of racism. "I think all attacks probably have different motivations. But primarily, they are criminal is sheer experience of hooliganism in other cases robbery. Racism may be an element in some of them," Australian High Commissioner John McCarthy said.

Australia on Thursday admitted that some cases of attacks on Indian students in that country may have an "element" of racism.

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"I think all attacks probably have different motivations. But primarily, they are criminal is sheer experience of hooliganism in other cases robbery. Racism may be an element in some of them," Australian High Commissioner John McCarthy told reporters after meeting Overseas Indians Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi.

He was replying to questions on whether attacks on Indian students in Australia were racist in nature.

"There is racism in every country so it is not a total surprise that there might be an element in some of these crimes," McCarthy said, adding that the real point was to stop such crimes.

At least nine Indian students were assaulted in the space of a month, with the latest case coming to light on Tuesday when a 21-year-old was slashed with a box-cutter by a group of men on a college campus in Melbourne, the capital of Victoria where many of the attacks have occurred.