German state official criticizes Cologne police for mishandling New Year's Eve attack

Interior Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) Ralf Jaeger said on Monday that the practice by the Cologne police on New Year's Eve in face of sexual assault and theft was "not acceptable".

On New Year's Eve, a group of 1,000 men surrounded, harassed and robbed, especially women in the western German city of Cologne.

According to eyewitnesses and victims, the perpetrators were from the Arabic or North African region judging from their appearance.

The Cologne police would have to resort to additional, available forces in the night, Jaeger said at a special meeting in Duesseldorf parliament.

However, the police did not request the offer and "much needed support for this unexpected situation as it developed", he added.

Meanwhile, he also criticized the public relations work of the Cologne police, saying that a self-critical, transparent processing is required.

Among the suspects include almost exclusively immigrants who came from the North African and Arab countries, he said.

"Not just doctors, engineers or scientists migrate, but also offenders," Jaeger said.

After Jaeger's speech, the police commissioner of the Interior Ministry Bernd Heinen read out a 15-page application report in which he pointed out that the local operational command had considered the existing forces as adequate.

According to the report, 14 of the 19 suspects came from Morocco and Algeria, while two are minors. Among the 516 reported crimes, there are 237 reports of sexual offenses and 107 cases of theft.

Four of the suspects are in custody due to theft and robbery offenses in connection with the New Year's Eve.

However, so far, no evidence showed that the attacks were steered or organized, said the report.

So far, German police have identified a total of 31 suspects most of which were asylum seekers.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced that her party has decided to take tougher action against criminal refugees. Endit