DORTMUND, GERMANY // German investigators on Wednesday detained an extremist in connection with three explosions that rocked Borussia Dortmund’s team bus.
Prosecutors also confirmed they were exploring a possible “terrorist link” after three identical letters were found at the scene.
The roadside blasts injured Dortmund’s Spanish international Marc Bartra and a policeman. The bombs, which contained “metal pieces”, detonated minutes after the team bus set off to a planned Champions League game against Monaco on Tuesday night.
German federal prosecutors said the blast extended over a radius of more than 100 metres, adding that it was fortunate that there were not more injuries. The match was put back to Wednesday as security was tightened around Dortmund and in Munich where Bayern Munich will take on Real Madrid.
But a defiant Dortmund vowed not to “give in to terror”, with players returning to the pitch for training. Extra forces were deployed around team hotels and their buses will take designated safe routes to the stadiums.
UEFA said “security procedures will be enhanced accordingly wherever needed”.
Dortmund player Marc Bartra who was injured in the blasts. Reuters
Frauke Koehler, spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor’s office said the letter s pointed to a possible “Islamist background”. The letters demanded Germany withdraw its deployment of Tornado reconnaissance missions in the anti-ISL international coalition and close the US airbase in the western German town of Ramstein. The investigation was focusing on two suspects, said Ms Koehler. Their apartments had been searched and one suspect had been detained.
Dortmund city’s police chief described the bombing as a “targeted attack” against the team, while chancellor Angela Merkel said she was “horrified” by the “repugnant act”.
But Dortmund’s chief executive Hans-Joachim Watze vowed that his side would carry on as normal. “We will play not only for ourselves today. We will play for everyone ... we want to show that terror and hate can never determine our actions,” he said.
Monaco’s vice president Vadim Vasilyev said “football must not be taken hostage”, and pledged that the quarter-final would go ahead.
In a show of solidarity, German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere will also attend the match.
The Borussia Dortmund team bus after the three explosions as it when it was making way to the stadium ahead of the UEFA Champions League. EPA
Germany has been on high alert since a series of extremist attacks last year. The explosives detonated minutes after the Dortmund team bus pulled away from the squad’s hotel on its way to the stadium.
Bartra underwent surgery on a broken wrist after he was hit by flying glass, Dortmund president Reinhard Rauball said.
A policeman, who was on a motorcycle escorting the team bus, suffered trauma from the noise of the blasts.
The explosives shattered the bus windows and the vehicle was burnt on one side.
“The bus turned on to the main road, when there was a huge noise – a big explosion,” said Dortmund’s Swiss goalkeeper, Roman Burki. “After the bang, we all crouched down in the bus. We did not know if more would come.”
The postponement of the match was announced to the packed stadium about 15 minutes before kick-off.
As Monaco supporters cheered Dortmund and wished the players well, some Dortmund fans also took in stranded Monaco supporters for the night.
The newspaper Bild put out a full-page advert in yellow, the colour of Dortmund’s strip, and its BVB 09 logo, with the message: “You’ll never walk alone”.
Club president Mr Rauball said he believed the team would be ready for Wednesday’s game.
“The worst thing would be if whoever committed this attack was now able to get to affect them through it,” he said.
But ex-Dortmund player Steffen Freund, who won the Champions League with Borussia in 1997, warned such a direct attack would not be forgotten by Wednesday.
“Mentally and psychologically that is hard to absorb, it’s a lot to deal with.”
* Agence France-Presse
