(ANSA) Terni, May 15 - A schoolboy of African origin attacked a 12-year-old-girl at a school in central Italy because she was wearing a crucifix on a neck chain, police said Friday.

The boy punched the girl violently in the back at the entrance to a middle school in the town of Terni on Thursday and the girl's mother caught the boy, who subsequently told Carabinieri paramilitary police he attacked the girl because she was wearing a crucifix, police sources said.

The boy, who first attended the school some three weeks ago, had bullied the girl over the past four days, insulting her and picking on her in other ways all because she was wearing the crucifix, the sources said.

Nevertheless police stopped short of charging the boy with any offense since he is a minor, the sources said.

