police hunt suspect of dortmund bus blast
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

For possible suspects responsible for 3 explosions

Police hunt suspect of Dortmund bus blast

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today Police hunt suspect of Dortmund bus blast

Borussia Dortmund's damaged bus is seen after an explosion
Dortmund - Arab Today

German investigators were hunting Wednesday for possible suspects responsible for three explosions that rocked the Borussia Dortmund football team's bus, injuring a player and a policeman.

The assault, described by Dortmund city's police chief as a "targeted attack" against the team, shook German football ahead of crucial Champions League ties.

Investigations will focus on a letter claiming responsibility for the attack that was found close to the site of the blasts.

"The letter claims responsibility for what happened," prosecutor Sandra Luecke said late Tuesday, telling journalists that "its authenticity is being verified".

German authorities have held off from describing it as a terror attack, saying it is too early to determine a motive.

But Germany has been on high alert since a series of jihadist attacks last year, including the Christmas market truck assault in Berlin in December that killed 12 people.

The explosives detonated minutes after the Dortmund team bus pulled away from the squad's hotel and headed for their quarter-final, first-leg, tie against Monaco.

Spanish international Marc Bartra underwent surgery on a broken wrist after he was hit by flying glass. The injured policeman, who was on a motorcycle and had been escorting the team bus, suffered trauma from the noise of the blasts.

Dortmund's quarter-final match will now be played on Wednesday evening, just hours before another Champions League clash in Germany between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

"We are assuming that they were a targeted attack against the Dortmund team," said the western German city's police chief Gregor Lange, adding however that it did not amount to an organised terror assault.

- Shocked players -

The bus had set off for the Borussia stadium about 10 kilometres (six miles) away when "three explosive charges detonated" police said.

The explosives, which went off shortly after 7:00 pm (1700 GMT), were hidden in a hedge and were detonated as the bus passed.

The blast shattered the bus windows and the vehicle was burned on the right hand side. 

"The bus turned onto the main road, when there was a huge noise -- a big explosion," Dortmund's Swiss goalkeeper Roman Burki told Swiss media.

"After the bang, we all crouched down in the bus. Anyone who could, threw himself on the floor.

"We did not know if more would come."

Burki said Bartra was "hit by splinters of broken glass". Dortmund's press spokesman said the 26-year-old had broken the radius bone in his right wrist.

The club said other players were safe and there was no danger inside the Signal Iduna Park stadium.

"The whole team is in a state of shock, you can't get pictures like that out of your head," Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said.

"I hope the team will be in a position to be able to compete tomorrow on the pitch.

"In a crisis situation like this, Borussia pulls together."

- 'Hard to absorb' -

Germany's best-selling Bild daily quoted anonymous sources saying that investigators were hunting for a likely getaway car used by the attacker.


The vehicle had foreign car plates, said the newspaper, which also added that police believed the explosives were a particular type of pipe-bomb.

The announcement that the game was postponed was only made to the stunned stadium about 15 minutes before Tuesday's match was due to start.

Dortmund's president Reinhard Rauball said he believed the team would be ready for Wednesday's game.

"The players will be able to push this out of their minds and be in a position to put in their usual performances," he said.

- Security tightened -

"The worst thing would be if whoever committed this attack was now able to get to affect them through it."

But ex-Dortmund player Steffen Freund, who won the Champions League with Borussia in 1997, said there would be scars.

"When there has been a direct attack on the team bus, then it's not just forgotten by Wednesday," said the 47-year-old.

"Mentally and psychologically that is hard to absorb, it's a lot to deal with."

Dortmund police said security would be tightened at Wednesday's match, with a major deployment of officers to "ensure that the game is played safely".

Separately, security was also being tightened at the Bayern-Real tie in Munich.

Bild said both teams' hotels were under heavy police guard, and the squads' buses driven to a safe location.

Source: AFP

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

police hunt suspect of dortmund bus blast police hunt suspect of dortmund bus blast



GMT 09:51 2016 Tuesday ,29 March

Back to drawing board for new father Murray

GMT 09:17 2017 Monday ,13 February

RAK police seek help to locate missing girl

GMT 21:52 2011 Monday ,08 August

Leverkusen\'s Giefer hospitalised

GMT 23:05 2017 Wednesday ,25 January

Millions travel for China’s Lunar New Year festival

GMT 23:06 2017 Tuesday ,24 January

Pakistan military tests nuclear-capable missile

GMT 11:34 2017 Tuesday ,14 February

Artist makes NY fashion week debut on a bus

GMT 14:35 2018 Monday ,22 January

Azza Fahmy Jewellery announces UK store launch

GMT 07:41 2014 Wednesday ,19 March

Nail brand The Lacquer Lab launches

GMT 15:19 2011 Tuesday ,02 August

Orwellian Barton forced to train alone by Newcastle

GMT 12:25 2016 Wednesday ,14 December

Evaluation of Participating Companies Goes in Full Swing

GMT 13:37 2017 Monday ,25 December

Abducted Yemenis kept in chains in Houthi jails

GMT 20:05 2011 Wednesday ,20 July

Maid repatriated after 3-year ordeal

GMT 01:09 2012 Wednesday ,15 February

Elegant Patch Sofa

GMT 09:45 2016 Friday ,25 November

In French missionary retirement home

GMT 06:06 2011 Monday ,12 December

Homemade Pet treats maker

GMT 04:41 2017 Monday ,09 January

Emirates Youth Council holds first meeting of 2017

GMT 08:09 2014 Thursday ,05 June

Opel outlines growth plan until 2022

GMT 11:27 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Dollar exchange stable at Egypt's major banks

GMT 08:48 2017 Sunday ,29 October

Spain seizes control of 'independent' Catalonia

GMT 17:27 2017 Monday ,13 November

EU's Mogherini urges 'no external interference'

GMT 07:29 2017 Tuesday ,19 December

Helmy el-Namnam hails Sharjah Ruler's support

GMT 13:49 2017 Wednesday ,29 November

ARIES (March21st-April20th)
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday