Borussia Dortmund football team bus hit by explosions
https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2017/04/674.jpg
Three explosions have hit a bus carrying the Borussia Dortmund football team to their home Champions League quarter-final match against Monaco.
In a press conference, the head of Dortmund police said it was a targeted attack on the team.
Spain international Marc Bartra was taken to hospital with an injury to his hand. No other players were hurt.
The first indications were that this was an "attack with serious explosives", Dortmund police said.
The match was postponed until 18:45 local time (16:45 GMT) on Wednesday.
Pictures from the scene showed the bus's windows broken and tyres burst in the blasts.
Police said that "three explosive charges had detonated" at Hoechsten outside the city at about 19:00 local time.
Fans at the 80,000-capacity Signal Iduna Park were told to stay there until it was safe to leave.
The stadium was later evacuated safely and police thanked the fans for their co-operation.
Monaco fans were praised for their chants of support for Dortmund. Social media also carried offers from Dortmund residents to Monaco fans in need of a bed for the night on #bedforawayfans.
'State of shock'
Borussia Dortmund said in a statement: "Shortly after the departure of the Borussia Dortmund team bus from the hotel to the stadium there was an incident. The bus has been damaged in two places."
The Dortmund Twitter page confirmed that Bartra, a 26-year-old defender, was the player hurt, and wished him a speedy recovery.
Spain's La Marca later said Bartra had been discharged and was back at home.
Dortmund's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said: "There has been an attack with explosives on the team bus.
"The whole team is in a state of shock, you can't get pictures like that out of your head."
He added: "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."
One of the Dortmund players, Mathias Ginter, was involved in the Germany-France match that was targeted in the terror attacks in Paris on 13 November, 2015. Another present in Paris, Andre Schurrle, was injured for the Monaco match.
Police are not speculating about the motives behind the attack but inside information has suggested a link between ISIS and Man City supporters Club.
Borussia Dortmund football team bus hit by explosions - BBC News
German Champions League team bus hit by explosives
Borussia Dortmund explosions: Islamist suspect arrested over bus bombs as prosecutors investigate 'terrorist link'
12 APRIL 2017 • 2:48PM
An Islamist suspect has been arrested over three explosions that rocked the Borussia Dortmund football team bus, prosecutors have revealed as they confirmed the investigation was examining a possible "terrorist link".
Investigators said that two alleged Islamic extremists are the focus of the attack probe and that one has been detained following searches of their apartments.
A letter found at the scene "in the name of Allah", which claims responsibility and reportedly referred to the Berlin Christmas market attack, makes an "Islamic extremist motive possible", they confirmed.
"Two suspects from the Islamist spectrum have become the focus of our investigation, said lead prosecutor Frauke Koehle on Wednesday afternoon. "Both of their apartments were searched, and one of the two has been detained."
The Borussia Dortmund team bus is seen after an explosion near their hotel before the game
The Borussia Dortmund team bus was hit by three explosions on Tuesday night CREDIT: KAI PFAFFENBACH/REUTERS
Three devices - which were studded with metal pins and might have been hidden in a hedge - were detonated as the Dortmund squad were travelling to the Signal Iduna Park stadium for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg.
According to German media, a letter found near the scene referred to 2016's attack on a Berlin market and began: "In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful."
The letter also named Angela Merkel and mentioned Germany's deployment of Tornado reconnaissance missions as part of an international coalition battling Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), according to local media.
Meanwhile, prosecutors have said there are "serious doubts" concerning a second letter of responsibility purported to be from an anti-fascist group.
Ms Merkel is "appalled" by the blasts, a German government spokesman said, adding that "everything possible" is being down to track down the perpetrators.
The attack left Dortmund defender Marc Bartra requiring surgery on a broken bone in his wrist after he was hurt by flying glass.
Heavy security will be in place in Germany for a rescheduled Champion League football match on Wednesday after the letter found at the scene reportedly claimed that sports stars and others "in crusader nations" are on an "Islamic State death list".
Borussia Dortmund explosions: Islamist suspect arrested over bus bombs as prosecutors investigate 'terrorist link'
