Borussia Dortmund bus bomb suspect may have planned more attacks
Sergej W. could face 28 counts of attempted murder for the three blasts targeting the bus carrying soccer team Borussia Dortmund to a Champions League fixture in April this year.
The case made headlines around the world. German prosecutors now believe he might have considered other potential targets as well, German news magazine Der Spiegel reported on Tuesday.
Read more: Dortmund’s Kagawa opens up about bus attack
Investigators believe that the man acted out of greed, planning to use the attack to bring down the value of the club’s shares. Police say the man took out a five-figure loan to bet against the club’s stock.
According to the suspect’s internet history, he looked into several other companies ahead of the blast, including a range of cable car operators and the value of their stocks.
This behavior indicates that he “looked for a new target to win money with the stocks losing value,” prosecutors say in the 43-page indictment, Der Spiegel reports. The court has yet to decide on accepting the text of the indictment.
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Dortmund bus explosion: What we know
Triple blast
Three explosions occured near Borussia Dortmund’s team bus on the way to their stadium for a Champions League match against AS Monaco. Police have said that the explosives were placed on the street, in a location where the bus would have been forced to slow down. Some media reports have said that the bombs were made from homemade materials.
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Dortmund bus explosion: What we know
Mysterious letter
Prosecutors have said that a note was found near the bombs claiming responsibility for the attack. This led police to confirm that the incident was indeed a “premeditated attack.” Later, German media reported that federal prosecutors had taken over the case. This usually indicates suspicion of terrorism or a similarly serious crime.
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Dortmund bus explosion: What we know
Multiple injuries
Dortmund defender Marc Bartra was injured by flying glass and taken to the hospital. A police officer who was nearby on his motorcycle was also hurt. The bus was badly damaged.
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Dortmund bus explosion: What we know
Fans receive praise
Fans were told to wait inside the stadium until the situation was cleared. The game was then postponed, and will be played Wednesday instead with heightened security. Police praised fans for their calm response.
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Dortmund bus explosion: What we know
Pulling together
The rearranged fixture will be a “huge challenge,” according to CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke, who added that the players were professional enough to do the job. “The whole team is in a state of shock, you can’t get pictures like that out of your head,” he 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.”
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Dortmund bus explosion: What we know
Heightened security
Both teams will receive extra personal security for Wednesday’s game, as there is some speculation the attack was carried out to hurt Dortmund’s chances. Prosecutors have said they are seeking suspects on attempted murder charges.
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Dortmund bus explosion: What we know
What we don’t know
Although police said they found a note by the explosives, they have not made public its contents, so a motive remains unclear. However, German media claimed that it said “in the name of Allah, the merciful.” Authorities have said they do not yet have a suspect in the case, nor are they completely certain that the Dortmund team was the intended target.
What happened in the attack
– A series of explosions hit the bus taking Borussia Dortmund players to a home match against Monaco
– Dortmund defender Marc Bartra and a policeman were injured in the blasts
– The only reason that there were no further casualties, according to the officials, is that the defendant made a mistake when placing one of the shrapnel-loaded charges
– A letter linking the blasts with the “Islamic State” group was allegedly placed by the accused, but this was quickly disputed as a false lead by the authorities.
The suspect has denied responsibility for the attack.
Editor’s note: Deutsche Welle follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and obliges us to refrain from revealing full names in such cases.
dj/rt (AFP, SID)
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