Police have identified a suspect in the Feb. 1 attack of author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, who was dragged out of a hotel elevator by a Holocaust denier, according to the San Francisco Police Department.

The suspect, a white male in his 20s, has not been arrested for allegedly attacking the Boston University professor in the Ardent Hotel, said SFPD Sgt. Neville Gittens, who added the investigation is still ongoing.

Wiesel had spoken earlier that day at World Forum 2007, a conference aimed at conflict resolution that was hosted by charity organization RockRose Institute, said Institute co-founder Rebecca Westerfield. The suspect approached the Nobel Peace Laureate in one of the hotel’s elevators around 6:30 p.m., Gittens said.

The suspect asked Wiesel to visit his hotel room for an interview. After Wiesel agreed to only do an interview in the hotel’s lobby, the suspect attacked him, Gittens said.

“The suspect grabbed [Wiesel] and pulled him out of the elevator,” he said. “[The suspect] tried to take him down to a room on the sixth floor.

“[Wiesel] started yelling,” Gittens continued. “The suspect then ran, and [Wiesel] made his way back to the lobby.”

Wiesel sustained no injuries, and police escorted him to the airport, Gittens said.

Although the SFPD Special Investigation Hate Crimes Unit is handling the case, Gittens said there is no further information available about the suspect’s reason for attacking the author.

Wiesel could not be reached for comment yesterday.

In a Monday interview with Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, Wiesel said people must actively oppose Holocaust deniers who may potentially harm those speaking about its history.

“My incident shows a global trend,” he told the Italian newspaper. “If society doesn’t act immediately against these individuals, it will end up encouraging others to do the same.”