Germany: Authorities must probe Cologne assault links
- 8 years ago
Authorities need to quickly determine whether a string of New Year’s Eve sexual assaults and robberies in Cologne blamed largely on foreigners may be linked to similar offenses in other cities, Germany’s justice minister said in comments published Sunday.
Authorities and witnesses say the attackers were among about 1,000 men gathered at Cologne’s central train station, some of whom broke off into small groups that groped and robbed women.
“If such a hoard gathers in order to commit crimes, that appears in some form to be planned,” Justice Minister Heiko Maas told the newspaper Bild.
“Nobody can tell me that this was not coordinated or prepared.”
The attacks are still being investigated, but police have said their focus is on suspects of primarily North African origin, which has put pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government and its open-door policy to asylum seekers.
Authorities and witnesses say the attackers were among about 1,000 men gathered at Cologne’s central train station, some of whom broke off into small groups that groped and robbed women.
“If such a hoard gathers in order to commit crimes, that appears in some form to be planned,” Justice Minister Heiko Maas told the newspaper Bild.
“Nobody can tell me that this was not coordinated or prepared.”
The attacks are still being investigated, but police have said their focus is on suspects of primarily North African origin, which has put pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government and its open-door policy to asylum seekers.