The U.S. State Department released on 5 January its annual report on anti-Semitism, citing Russia along with Belarus as countries where \"anti-Semitism [remains] a serious problem.\" According to the report, most anti-Semitic incidents are carried out by ultranationalist and other far-right elements, and the stereotype of Jews as manipulators of the global economy continues \"to provide fertile ground for anti-Semitic aggression.\" The report cited the Anti-Defamation League for reporting that the while the number of anti-Semitic incidents remained stable in 2003, their nature became more violent. Groups of young skinheads are reportedly responsible for most anti-Semitic crimes. Russian officials\' response to anti-Semitic violence has been \"mixed.\" Officials often use strong words of condemnation but label the perpetrators as terrorists or hooligans rather than xenophobes or anti-Semites. Human rights observers, according to the State Department, note that Russia has a lot of legislation on the books that bans racist violence and propaganda but it is rarely enforced. (RFE/RL)