Verona, Italy - A schoolteacher of Jewish origins in the north-eastern city of Verona on Friday confessed to magistrates he had fabricated a story about being the victim of an anti-Semitic attack by three youths.
One month ago, Luis Marsiglia had sent shock waves across Italy after telling police he had been beaten by youths brandishing metal batons who hailed the Austrian far-right leader, Joerg Haider.
At the time, the teacher said he had already been a victim of anti-Semitic threats from his former students at the Scipione Maffei school.
The attack also drew strong condemnations from Italy's Jewish communities and spurred alarming reports on the rise of neo-Nazi violence by Italy's secret service.
Politicians from left and right-wing political parties were quick to express their solidarity with the theology teacher.
During questioning on Friday, however, Marsiglia told a Verona magistrate the aggression never took place.
Marsiglia said he made up the story out of anger after he was transferred from another school in Verona.
The teacher has now been charged with "simulation of a crime". - Sapa-DPA