BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel rebuffed US President Donald Trump’s assertion that migrants were behind a surge in crime in Germany, pointing to statistics that showed crime was in fact down. “My answer is we are seeing a positive development. We must always do more to fight criminiality. But we have encouraging numbers.” Statistics last month showed overall crime fell 9.6 percent last year. A government-sponsored study in January showed violent crime rose about 10 percent in 2015 and 2016, attributing more than 90 percent of the rise to young male asylum seekers.

• Tags: Angela Merkel, asylum, crime, Germany, migrants, Trump