Passau, Germany - The Catholic church sees the faithful leaving the church in droves after the controversial lifting of the excommunication of a group of rightist bishops, a German Vatican expert said Saturday.

Father Eberhard von Gemmingen, the head of Radio Vatican's German service, said in an interview with the Passauer Neuen Presse newspaper that a new "wave of exits" had already set in after Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication of four leaders of the St Pius X Society, one of whom denies the Holocaust.

Passau, Germany - A German police chief wounded in a knife attack by a suspected neo-Nazi was released from hospital on Friday as a search for the assailant continued.

Alois Mannichl, 52, chief of police in the southern city of Passau, was stabbed in the stomach outside his home by a skinhead who yelled neo-Nazi abuse at him, then left with a getaway driver.

A 33-year-old man and his wife, aged 22, were arrested three days after the December 13 attack on charges of complicity in attempted murder after police traced the getaway car to them.

Both suspects were known to police for connections to Germany's right-wing scene.

Passau, Germany - German police Wednesday quizzed a married couple in connection with the stabbing of a police chief who has been vilified by neo-Nazis.

Alois Mannichl, 52, chief of police in the southern German city of Passau, survived the Saturday attack outside his home by a shaven- headed man who yelled neo-Nazi abuse at him, then left with a getaway driver.

Passau, Germany - German police freed on Monday two men initially suspected of stabbing a police chief who has been vilified by neo-Nazis.

Alois Mannichl, 52, chief of police in the southern German city of Passau, survived the Saturday attack outside his home by a shaven- headed man who yelled neo-Nazi abuse.

Public prosecutor Helmut Walch said Monday both suspects were local men and had matched a description by Mannichl.

But hours later the men were released. Police said they had found no proof of their involvement. Joachim Herrmann, interior minister of Bavaria state, had identified the two as far rightists.

Passau, Germany - German officials said Wednesday they had dug up a neo-Nazi's grave to remove a swastika flag which was draped over the coffin.

The Nazi-style burial of Friedhelm Busse on Saturday at Passau, south-eastern Germany ended in violence at the cemetery and a mid-town rampage where neo-Nazis punched a Mongolian woman in the face.

Police detained a right-winger after he slipped the swastika flag out from under his jacket and placed it at the last moment on the casket of Busse, last leader of the Free German Labour Party which was outlawed in 1995.

The display of swastikas and advocating Nazi doctrines are crimes in Germany.