Germany shocked by Cologne New Year gang assaults on women per BBC News

The BBC have finally http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35231046 got around to reporting the Cologne attacks. I found this part of their report interesting:

'A policeman who was outside Cologne station during the New Year's Eve trouble told the city's Express news website that he had detained eight suspects. "They were all asylum seekers, carrying copies of their residence certificates," he said.

However, there was no official confirmation that asylum seekers had been involved in the violence. Commentators in Germany were quick to urge people not to jump to conclusions.'

Are there no lengths the BBC won't go to to protect Muslim immigrants from censure?