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| Borussia Dortmund explosions: police investigate possible Islamic extremist link | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police investigating explosions by the side of a bus carrying the German football team Borussia Dortmund are looking into a possible Islamic extremist motive behind the attack. | Police investigating explosions by the side of a bus carrying the German football team Borussia Dortmund are looking into a possible Islamic extremist motive behind the attack. |
| Citing security circles, the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung said a written document found near the site of Tuesday night’s blasts referred to the attack on a Berlin Christmas market last year and claimed that German fighter jets were involved in killing Muslims in the Isis “caliphate”. | Citing security circles, the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung said a written document found near the site of Tuesday night’s blasts referred to the attack on a Berlin Christmas market last year and claimed that German fighter jets were involved in killing Muslims in the Isis “caliphate”. |
| The statement claiming responsibility for the attack reportedly starts with a reference to “Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful” and states that sports personalities and celebrities belonging to “Germany and other crusading nations” were on Isis’s “kill list”. | The statement claiming responsibility for the attack reportedly starts with a reference to “Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful” and states that sports personalities and celebrities belonging to “Germany and other crusading nations” were on Isis’s “kill list”. |
| However, investigators cited by Süddeutsche Zeitung said they were also looking into the possibility that the document was a false trail deliberately laid by another perpetrator. | However, investigators cited by Süddeutsche Zeitung said they were also looking into the possibility that the document was a false trail deliberately laid by another perpetrator. |
| German news agency DPA on Wednesday morning reported the existence of a second statement circulating online, in which an anti-fascist group claim they carried out the attack in retaliation for Borussia Dortmund not doing enough to distance themselves from rightwing populism. | German news agency DPA on Wednesday morning reported the existence of a second statement circulating online, in which an anti-fascist group claim they carried out the attack in retaliation for Borussia Dortmund not doing enough to distance themselves from rightwing populism. |
| German police said they were investigating “in all directions”. Investigators were checking the authenticity of the letter claiming responsibility and but refused to give any details of its contents, citing the ongoing probe. | German police said they were investigating “in all directions”. Investigators were checking the authenticity of the letter claiming responsibility and but refused to give any details of its contents, citing the ongoing probe. |
| Federal prosecutors, who typically handle especially serious cases, including those in which a terrorist motive is suspected, have taken over the investigation. | Federal prosecutors, who typically handle especially serious cases, including those in which a terrorist motive is suspected, have taken over the investigation. |
| The incident occurred at about 7.15pm (1815 BST) in Dortmund’s Höchstem district, approximately six miles (10km) from the club’s stadium, where they were due to play a Champions League quarter-final against Monaco. | The incident occurred at about 7.15pm (1815 BST) in Dortmund’s Höchstem district, approximately six miles (10km) from the club’s stadium, where they were due to play a Champions League quarter-final against Monaco. |
| Police confirmed there were three explosions near the bus, breaking some of the vehicle’s windows. The defender Marc Bartra was injured by shards of glass and was taken to hospital. He was due to undergo surgery on his injured arm to repair a fracture and remove shrapnel. | Police confirmed there were three explosions near the bus, breaking some of the vehicle’s windows. The defender Marc Bartra was injured by shards of glass and was taken to hospital. He was due to undergo surgery on his injured arm to repair a fracture and remove shrapnel. |
| Borussia Dortmund’s chief executive, Hans-Joachim Watzke, said the coach carrying the players had only just left their hotel and turned on to the road where the explosive devices were hidden behind a hedge. | Borussia Dortmund’s chief executive, Hans-Joachim Watzke, said the coach carrying the players had only just left their hotel and turned on to the road where the explosive devices were hidden behind a hedge. |
| “Bartra was injured, on his hand and his arm, but nothing that would be life-threatening,” Watzke said. “The team is in complete shock. Our task is to process this experience, because the match is taking place in less than 24 hours. That’s our job.” | “Bartra was injured, on his hand and his arm, but nothing that would be life-threatening,” Watzke said. “The team is in complete shock. Our task is to process this experience, because the match is taking place in less than 24 hours. That’s our job.” |
| The Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Bürki told Swiss newspaper Blick: “I was sat in the back row next to Marc Bartra, who was hit by the shards of the burst back window. After the bang everyone in the bus got their heads down. We didn’t know whether there would be more. The police arrived quickly, sealed everything off. We are all in shock.” | The Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Bürki told Swiss newspaper Blick: “I was sat in the back row next to Marc Bartra, who was hit by the shards of the burst back window. After the bang everyone in the bus got their heads down. We didn’t know whether there would be more. The police arrived quickly, sealed everything off. We are all in shock.” |
| Sascha Fligge, the club’s spokesman, said: “I can only say that shortly after leaving the car park there was a detonation … the team heard a loud bang. | Sascha Fligge, the club’s spokesman, said: “I can only say that shortly after leaving the car park there was a detonation … the team heard a loud bang. |
| “Marcel Schmelzer said to me, ‘Why is someone throwing a stone again on game day?’ We had that happen, I think, during an away game in Cologne that a big stone hit the window. But it transpired quickly for the players – especially because Marc Bartra loudly called for attention for obvious reasons – that it wasn’t a stone. | “Marcel Schmelzer said to me, ‘Why is someone throwing a stone again on game day?’ We had that happen, I think, during an away game in Cologne that a big stone hit the window. But it transpired quickly for the players – especially because Marc Bartra loudly called for attention for obvious reasons – that it wasn’t a stone. |
| “The players had quite different reactions, some threw themselves to the floor, others simply ducked and everyone was totally shocked. | “The players had quite different reactions, some threw themselves to the floor, others simply ducked and everyone was totally shocked. |
| “As far as I know, Manni [Sven] Bender looked out of the window and saw one of the detonations in the corner of his eye. He signalled to the bus driver to drive on as quickly as possible.” | “As far as I know, Manni [Sven] Bender looked out of the window and saw one of the detonations in the corner of his eye. He signalled to the bus driver to drive on as quickly as possible.” |
| Police and Borussia officials assured supporters they were not under threat inside the stadium and that they should “stay calm” while leaving. | Police and Borussia officials assured supporters they were not under threat inside the stadium and that they should “stay calm” while leaving. |
| The match has been postponed until 6.45pm (17:45 GMT) on Wednesday. Police said “as many officers as possible” would be deployed for the rescheduled game. | The match has been postponed until 6.45pm (17:45 GMT) on Wednesday. Police said “as many officers as possible” would be deployed for the rescheduled game. |
| Uefa said in a statement that it was reviewing security arrangements for all of Wednesday night’s Champions League games and that “security procedures will be enhanced accordingly wherever needed”. | Uefa said in a statement that it was reviewing security arrangements for all of Wednesday night’s Champions League games and that “security procedures will be enhanced accordingly wherever needed”. |